Sword Art Online: OVERCLOCKED
by Daemon of Wrath
Summary: Kazuto Kirigaya, known in the gaming world as Kirito, has overcome the death game SAO, conquered ALO, and dominated GGO. After all that's happened in his life, he wants now are normal days of peace and quiet. However, the coming week is just another trial for him to overcome, especially when he has to help his friend become a king of demons. Peaceful Days Died. Let's Survive!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, and Welcome everyone! This story is co-written by me and my good friend and brilliant writer, Demons Anarchy of Pride! If you don't know who he is, then shame on you! He is the genius who wrote ****_Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset, Code Geass: Miraculous Birthday, Code Geass: Lucian of the Paradox, Infinite Stratos: For Answer, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, RWBY's Reaper, TOKYO GHOUL: Requiem for a Demon, Tokyo Ghoul: Black Dove, Fractured Reality, Those that Defy Fate, Tokyo Ghoul DxD, Other Self Online, Code SURVIVOR, Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH, and many, many more!_**

_**Now without further ado…..Let us begin…..The Day Before!**_

_**Like, Follow, Favorite, Review, and tell us what you guys think!**_

**Chapter 0: The Day Before**

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

**...Ones born of human flesh.**

Man is now a race of some power.

You, Sons of Men, must face the power you hold.

**And you must face your destinies as well...**

A young girl with short orange hair, wearing a pink blouse, shorts, and a pink bandana leaned against a street rail, answering her phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Yuzu. I just got an email from Naoya. He want's to know if we can hang out tomorrow!" The caller said.

"Naoya? Isn't that his cousin? I should be free tomorrow..." SHe responded.

"Great. I'll be sure to tell them too. Naoya wanted to know if they could hang out too."

**Though your days be peaceful, the fated time draws near.**

I am your judgment.

I sundered the tongue of your fathers and shattered their arrogant power.

Two figures, a male and female were standing away from one another, their backs facing each other. The young woman with short red hair and a tattoo of a rose on her right shoulder and wearing a white dress, shook her head.

"Ha...I can't do this. What was Aya thinking when she gave me this song...?" The young male turned to speak to her directly. He had short spiky black hair and wore a bartender's uniform consisting of dark gray slacks and vest, a white dress shirt, and a striped blue tie.

"Just take your time. "The language of song is boundless." Do what your heart tells you." He reassured her.

**So long as the Lord does not live within you, all living beings hold darkness in their hearts.**

In a odd place untouched by normal people, two figures overlooked what looked like an array of systems and instructions. One was a young man with deep crimson eyes and silver hair, a black cloak bearing yellow and green techno designs scattered all over it while the second, a young girl with blue hair and a headdress similar to a flower, wore an orange hooded cloak, reaching down to her thighs, complete with boots.

"The Summoning Vessel is complete." the woman informed him, turning to face him. "Will you continue to lend us your strength."

"I have done nothing." the man said, a dark smile appearing on his face. "The Ancient Primal Common Tongue summoned them. Besides... God is no friend of mine." he stated before turning to leave. The woman watched him go, no emotions flickering in her eyes, even as she watched what was probably one of the mast valuable assets she had known leave her father's organization, never to be seen again.

**If you truly wish to be yourself, then rise and fight against the darkness within... the demon inside.**

If you have the will to challenge your destiny of battle, Sons of Men, state your names...

In an unknown world...three figures were conversing. One was a young man with raven black hair and black eyes. He was wearing black clothing consisting of a coat with a white fur collar, pants, boots, and shirt. Twin swords were sheathed on his back.

"Hey, guys! I just got an email from AT-LOW!"

The second figure, a blonde girl wit large green eyes looked at the boy with a large smile on her face at the mention of the handle. She was dressed in a simple green and white tunic with white gloves, a blade at her hip. "Seriously?!" the girl said, ecstatic. "Awesome! What's it say?!"

"He says Akuma's cousin wants to meet up with us this weekend in Shibuya."

"Akuma?" the third figure, a girl with long blue hair, adorned in a simple white and blue robe, giggled with a hand at her chin. A rapier sat at her hip, and atop her shoulder was a small girl in a flowing pink gown, wings spreading out from her back, accompanied by long, flowing black hair. "Wow, we haven't heard from him in a while. Still, Naoya huh?"

"Big Brother is gonna be ecstatic to see his teacher again after four years!" the blonde girl giggled

"Heh, got me there." the boy said, smiling as he scratched the back of his head.

**As He proclaimed... this world, created in seven days, shall be destroyed by the sounding of seven trumpets.**

**You who have wills, fear the numbers your eyes shall see.**

**Fear the time left...**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Day Before: An End to the Ordinary**

It was mid-August. The summer is almost over. The hot sun illuminated the world and brought forth relatively bearable heat. The buzzing of cicadas filled the air. A lone figure, a young man with short blue hair and eyes stood on the sidewalk. He was wearing a pair of red jeans, a black shirt, and an unusual pair of white headphones.

His name was Kazuya Minegishi, also known as Akuma by his friends due to the shape of the wires on his headphones, which resembled horns of some kind, or cat-like ears. He was leaning against a lamp post, holding his mp3 player up with his hand as he waited for his friends and cousin, Naoya. He hadn't seen him in a long time, years almost, not since the day he left out on his own.

Shibuya was as busy as ever, people coming home from work or businesses were walking all over the place. Kazuya ignored all the buzz and waited for his friends to arrive. "Hey, Akuma!" a familiar voice ringed out to him, bringing him out from his thoughts. "Over here!"

He looked up to see a boy carrying a laptop running towards him. He was wearing a white hat over his short black hair, as well as a blue shirt and gray pants. He had his orange laptop case around his shoulder.

"Yo, how's it going?" he smiled in greeting. "Real nice of Naoya to make us to meet him outside on a hot day like this, isn't it?" He remarked sarcastically. "How how's your summer been? We usually meet at school and ALO, so it feels like it's been a while. Is everything good?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." Kazuya answered.

"Ah, that's the Kazuya I know! Young guys like us need to be full of energy!"

Atsuro Kihara, one of Kazuya's friends, also known by his handle online, AT-LOW. When it comes to computers, he was one of the best techno-geniuses around, second only to Naoya. Much like another friend of theirs, he strived to become his top student, hoping to meet his approval.

"Man, nice timing though!" Atsuro chuckled. "I ran into trouble with my programming. I asked Kazuto to help me out on it, but no dice."

XXXXXXXXXX

"ACHOO!"

"Eh? Are you okay, big brother? Are you catching a cold?"

"How can you even catch a cold in the summer?"

"I dunno, Asuna... I think someone's talking about me."

"It's probably AT-LOW talking about you being a fellow programmer." Asuna deduced.

"How can you be so sure?" He inquired.

"Women's intuition."

XXXXXXXXXX

"It has me completely stumped, so I was about to go ask Naoya if he could help."

"Oh there you are, I've been looking for you guys!" A new voice rang. A girl wearing a pink bandana and blouse joined them.

"Hey, here comes Yoohoo!" Atsuro exclaimed.

"Don't call me "Yoohoo"!" SHe glared at him.

"Hah, why not?" Atsuro cackled, avoiding a hit from the girl in the bandanna.

"My name is Yuzu! Gah, thanks to you, even the teachers call me that!"

Yuzu Tanikawa, a childhood friend of Kazuya's. They've been friends for as long as he could remember. Unfortunately, due to her name, Atsuro had this habit of calling her Yoohoo, and also Fru-fru, though where the last one came from, he had no idea.

"Hey, it's just a friendly nickname!" Atsuro said, grinning from ear to ear as he watched Yuzu fume.

Kazuya sighed, shaking his head as he patted Yuzu on the head. "Calm down." he said gently. The action caused Yuzu's face to go bright red, steam pouring out of her head. Atsuro chuckled, knowing full well the girl had a massive crush on him since middle school. "Anyway, where's Kirito and the others?"

"Herm, I dunno. They should be here..."

"Hey guys!" The new, yet familiar, male voice made them all turned to the source. Three figures were making their way towards the trio.

"Sorry we're late, we missed the train." Kirito apologized, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He was wearing a simple long sleeved, black shirt, dark pants, and black sneakers. How he seemed to be so comfortable wearing black underneath the summer sun, no one had a clue.

"We would've been earlier if you hadn't slept in. I mean, even Sugu spent a good while trying to wake you up." Asuna reprimanded. She was wearing a simple short sleeved white blouse, red skirt, black knee socks and red shoes.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's nice to see you again AT-LOW, and you too, Akuma." Sugua smiled. She was wearing a red sports jacket over a black shirt and blue shorts. On her feet were white sneakers, in contrast to her cousin's.

"Heh, nice to see you guys!" Atsuro smiled. "Man, not much difference with Kazuto in real life and in games, huh?"

"Same could be said for Asuna." Suguha responded with a grin, causing laughs to erupt from the group.

Kazuto Kirigaya was a high school student, and a pro gamer. He was among the several 6 thousand people who were trapped inside the Death Game, Sword Art Online. Known in games as Kirito, he was a powerful swordsman, known as the Black Swordsman. His cousin was Suguha Kirigaya, another gamer like him, and also the star member of the kendo team. It was Atsuro that introduced her to ALfheim Online, a decision she did not regret. She was known in ALO as Leafa, a member of the Sylph race.

The girl was Asuna Yuuki, another survivor from the Death Game known as SAO. She was called Asuna the Lightning Flash, and the Vice-Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, a superb swordsman armed with a rapier. There was no one that could match her speed. She was also Kirito's girlfriend in real life, and his wife in games. They even had a virtual daughter named Yui!

"Nice to meet you guys." Yuzu greeted, meeting them for the first time, since she was not a member of their gamer circle.

"This is Yoohoo-OW!" Atsuro yelped when he found himself smacked outside the head, courtesy of one furious Yuzu.

"I said DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"Wow, hot tempered much?" Kirito chuckled, recalling someone else in their group who was like that. "Well, nice to meet you. I'm Kazuto Kirigaya, just all me Kirito. This is my sister, Suguha, and my girlfriend, Asuna."

"Yo!" Sugu greeted with a grin, lifting her hand up.

"How do you do?" Asuna bowed her head.

"Once again, nice to meet you all." Yuzu smiled. "I'm Yuzu Tanikawa."

"Ow..." Atsuro groaned, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. "Dude, seriously, you ever tried out for the boxing club? You'd make a killing!"

"Shut it you!" Her expression shifted to one of anger towards Atsuro.

Seeing as the conversation was about to diverge, Kazuya decided he should be the one to get things back on track. "Hey guys...where's Naoya?"

"Huh...? Oh, that's right!" Yuzu remembered. "I ran into Naoya a moment ago, and he asked me to give these to Atsuro, you, Kirito, and his friends. He said that something's come up and he won't be able to make it."

"Aww, what's up with that? Naoya stood us up!" Atsuro complained, but remembered what she said. "Wais, what did he want to give us?"

"Yeah," Yuzu nodded as he dug around in her bag. "Here, take 'em! They were a pain to carry around anyway!"

What she produced was surprising to say the least. It was portable game consoles, which Kazuto and Kazuya recognized as Communication Players, dubbed COMPS. There was six in all, each with different colors. Silver, pink, blue, green, black, and yellow.

"Naoya gave you these?" Kazuya asked, surprised that he cousin would be handing them such devices.

"Yep. Aren't these those Communication Player things?"

"Yeah, that's right." Suguha agreed. "I've seen some of the commercials about them. "Play with people around the world!"."

"Oh? So you know about them, Yoohoo? Suguha? That's exactly what these are!" Atsuro sounded excited. "The name, "Communication Player" is a real mouthful, so people just call them COMPs..."

"They have email and a web browser, so they're more like cell phones than game systems." Kazuto continued as he examined the black COMP.

"Huh...Is that so?"

"But, I don' get it..." the capped boy said, frowning as he flipped open the COMP. "Why give us these? I mean, I've got one back at my own... Huh?" he stopped as his eyes widened. Instead of the usual screen, it had a black background, revealing dark red letters. "I've never seen a menu like this... Did Naoya homebrew this?"

"Huh, you mean..." Yuzu's eyes widened. "He made this himself?"

"Well, considering this is Naoya we're talking about, I'm not surprised." Kazuto remarked. "This would probably be cakewalk for someone like him."

Kazuya nodded in agreement, though he was confused as he opened his COMP. 'Why did Naoya give us these things...?' he wondered. It was not like his brother figure to send them game consoles, especially ones with some of his own programming. Plus, there had been that strange dream he had... The one with the voice...

"Hmm...I can't open this folder." Atsuro voiced, bringing Kazuya out of his thoughts. Kazuto tried to do the same.

"Yeah, you're right. Nothing's happening. Looks like its protected."

"Protected?" Yuzu asked quizzically. "You mean, it's set so that other people can't mess with it? We can't look inside then."

"I'm sure Atsuro and Kazuto can crack it." Kazuya said, having faith in his programming friends.

"Heh heh, that's right! Good thing I brought my laptop with me." Atsuro grinned.

"Ditto." Kirito brought out his own black laptop from the carrying case on his shoulder.

"Why did you even bring that?" Asuna asked.

"What?" her boyfriend frowned. "I wanted to ask Naoya about something I was stuck on, which involves a project of mine."

"W-wait, what are you guys doing?" Yuzu asked, alarmed.

"Heh he! What does it look like? Kirito and I are gonna hack this folder wide open!" Atsuro answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're hacking it? Wouldn't Naoya be angry if you did that?" Suguha asked worriedly.

"It's not a big deal." Kazuya answered her.

"Huuuuh? Are you sure about this?" Yuzu asked in turn.

"You don't get it Yoohoo! Naoya's our teacher." The hat wearing teen spoke. "If he took the time to call us up and give these to us..."

"...That means he wants us to break his protection scheme." Kazuto finished for him. "It's like a friendly greeting."

"Aaaand done!" Atsuro grinned. "There we go!"

Yuzu sighed, shaking her head. "I don't get you eggheads at all."

"Amen." Suguha nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, here you guys are." Atsuro and Kazuto handed them their respective COMPS before looking at theirs. "Guess only the mail function is available... Laplace Mail?" Kirito frowned. "Well, that's weird... W-what the hell?"

Upon Kazuto's exclamation, everyone else checked their mail, and saw the file that read Laplace Mail. The identity of the sender was The Observer. The following message was disturbing as it read:

**Good Morning. Here's today's NEWS.**

**1) At around 16:00, a man will be killed in a Shibuya-ku Aoyama apartment. The wounds on the corpse are consistent with an attack by a large carnivorous beast.**

**2) A large explosion will occur in Minato-ku Aoyama at 19:00. The cause is Unknown.**

**3) At 21:00, a blackout will affect the entire Tokyo Metropolitan area.**

**Have a nice day.**

"Is this... some kind of sick joke?" Suguha said, paling slightly from the first piece of news. "I mean, talking about something like that is..."

"At around 16:00 in Shibuyu-ku Aoyama, a man...will be killed!?" Yuzu couldn't believe the news either. "...He'll be attacked by some carnivorous beast...!? What kind og News is this? That's so creepy...!"

"Yeah...that is unsettling..." Kazuya agreed with his friends.

"I know Naoya isn't the type to make jokes..." Kazuto said, slightly shaken up. "But, I don't think even he'd do something like that."

"Yeah, I mean, it said that there would be a black out at 19:00. It says it's todays news...but none of this stuff has happened today." Atsuro added in, equally confused. "Why would Naoya put a lock on this...? Ooh, maybe it's code for something!"

"A code...?" Kazuto furrowed his brow, processing Atsuro's words and the message. "...Yeah, I think you could be right!"

"Ugh, whatever..." Yuzu sighed as she looked over at Suguha, Asuna, and Kazuya. "Hey, do you guys wanna go somewhere? I say we let them nerd out."

"Agreed." Suguha giggled, nodding. "Sure, why not?"

"Alright." Kazuya shrugged his shoulders, having nothing better to do.

Asuna, however, shook her head. "I'll stay and keep the boys company. You guys go on ahead."

"Okay, if you say so." The trio walked away, Yuzu in the lead, while Asuna remained with Kirito and Atsuro.

"...Aoyama...Aoyama...Hmm... Naoya's place is near there, but it that important?" Atsuro asked as he tried to decipher the Laplace Mail.

"Most likely. ANd it says the death takes place at 16:00, so it would be safe to assume that something happens at that time." Kazuto added.

"But still...what is up with saying that someone was killed?"

"What kind of person is Naoya, anyway?" Asuna asked, curious. "I've only heard a bit about him from Kirito and Leafa, but not much."

"Naoya is... how do I put this..." Kazuto frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to think of a way to describe his teacher. "He's very hard to read, and you can't really tell what he's thinking. He's pretty attached to Akuma though. In fact, it was because of Naoya that I met him in the first place."

"Huh, really?" the rapier-user said, astonished. "What does Naoya do for a living?"

"Computer software mostly." Atsuro answered. "He works part-time for software companies and even hand-crafted some of the programs and apps we use today. As a matter of fact, Naoya was the one who helped make ALfheim in the first place!"

"Whoa, seriously?!" Asuna shouted in shock, her eyes wide. "You're joking, right?!"

"No, he isn't." Kazuto chuckled. "When it comes to computers, Naoya's a genius. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he found a way to make Yui appear here in real life!"

"Yui?" Atsuro asked, raising an eyebrow before a grin showed up. "Oh, right... She's in your game daughter, huh? Hah, man Kirito, you go quick. I didn't know you had lost your virtual cherry in SAO."

"Wha-huh?!" Kirito and Asuna's face went beat red at the computer nerd's words. "W-what are you talking about?!"

"Huh? You two said that Yui's your daughter back in ALO. Doesn't that mean that you guys did IT?" Atsuro asked befuddled.

"I-It's not like that. Asuna and I didn't do...THAT. Yui is our adoptive daughter in ALO." Kirito explained, still embarrassed by the scenario in his head.

"...Ohh...! Now I gotcha."

"S-sheesh..." Asuna sighed, her cheeks still tinged red. "I don't think I've ever felt that embarrassed until that one day when people asked if Yui really was our daughter."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Kirito chuckled nervously. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, with Kazuya and the others, they were currently touring a part of the city in Shinjuku, currently window-shopping for places to go. "Hey, what do you guys wanna do?" Yuzu asked the two as they walked. "Maybe some karaoke, or go to a movie?"

"We should probably stay somewhere where there's cell reception." Suguha advised before she noticed a group of people in orange robes. "Eh? Who are they?"

"I'm not sure..." Kazuya noticed that there was a man presumably in his forties, in the center of the group. He possessed purple hair and black eyes and wore the same uniform as the others. He was speaking to anyone who passed by. Next to him was a beautiful young woman with short purple hair and a feather decoration on her head. She stood next to the man. "Do you guys want to check it out?" He asked the two girls.

"I dunno..." Yuzu admitted, looking a bit nervous. "They seem kind of..."

"..and lo, the smiting from the Tower of Babel returns!" Kazuya's eyes widened slightly, something in his brain recognizing the name Babel somewhere.

"Wait, I think I've seen those guys before..." Suguha frowned. "I remember reading about them online. They're called the Shomonkai, I think."

"The Shomonkai...?" Yuzu asked quizically.

"Yeah. Apparently, they are a group that preaches that Humanity must stand together, take fate into their own hands, and survive God's Ordeal, or whatever that is." Suguha elaborated. "Personally, I think they are rather...eccentric."

"Huh..." Kazuya remarked as he looked back at the group, his eyes focused on the girl next to the man. There was something strange about her, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was a strange feeling, one he couldn't quite put into words. If he could, he would probably relate it to the same as the dream he had.

"Well, let's get going." Suguha said. "Wanna hit the arcade?"

"Hah, I see someone is a game freak!" Yuzu couldn't help but giggle, causing the girl to puff her cheeks.

"What? I like games... sort of."

"Well, anyway, it sounds like a good idea. Atsuro and Kazuto probably need more time before they could fully decipher the coding." Kazuya agreed with Suguha's idea.

"Wait, speaking of that...what time is it now?" Yuzu asked, remembering what was on the Laplace Mail.

"It's 16:30." Kazuya answered her.

"16:30, ugh...I was just thinking about that email in the COMP..." Yuzu groaned. "You know, the one about someone being attacked by a Carnivorous beast?"

"Hey, I'm sure it was just a prank Naoya made up." Suguha tried to assure her. "Besides, carnivorous beast? That's the sort of thing you'd find in a zoo, you know! Like a tiger or a bear!"

"Yeah, you might be right..." Yuzu nodded, but she was unable to shake off that feeling of uncertainty. As if calling her out on it, several police cars went shooting by, their red and blue lights lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Huh? What's going on?"

"Did something happen?" the Sylph player wondered before she noticed what direction the cars were heading. "Wait... isn't that towards Aoyama?"

"Ah...Ahaha! There's no way it could be true, right?" Yuzu tried to laugh it off in denial.

"Y-Yeah! That's right." Suguha tried to believe the same, but this feeling of foreboding echoed at the back of her mind.

"Hey...Naoya's apartment is in Aoyama, right? Shouldn't we...go check it out?"

"Let's go then." Kazuya nodded.

With that, they hurried over to Aoyama.

XXXXXXXXXX

Back over with the others, Kirito took a break from coding and looked up at the sky, his hands behind his head. 'Man, to think it's been so long since we've cleared SAO. It almost seems like a dream...' he thought, a chuckle escaping him. He hadn't recalled that world in a long time, not since when he hung out with his friends. He had all sorts of adventures there, some harsh and cruel, and others more light hearted.

Of course, there was always one adventure he could never quite forget. An adventure that led him to meet two special people. "You're thinking about that Hollow Area thing, aren't you, Kirito?"

Kirito broke out of his thoughts and turned to Asuna, who had a knowing look on her face.

"Heh, nothing gets past you, does it?" He chuckled.

"It was written all over your face." Asuna giggled. "It's almost hard to believe though, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I agree." Kirito nodded. "We went through so much back in Aicrad, but the sad part is, Sinon only got half of the treatment! Man, it was so unfair!"

"There's that, and she had a unique skill, just like your Dual Wielding." Asuna pointed out, much to Kirito's chagrin.

"Wait, Sinon?" Atsuro asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you mean Hecate from Gun Gale?"

"Yep! That's her." Kirito nodded. Hecate was Sinon's, or Shino's, alias in GGO as she uses a Hecate Sniper Rifle. She is the best sharpshooter that Kirito and Asuna know.

"Wow! You guys know some pretty amazing people!" Atsuro laughed.

"Yeah, that, and she's a crack shot." Kirito chuckled. "You should have seen her back in SAO. She never missed her target. "Seriously?! Man, now I really want to meet her!" Atsuro smiled. "I've got to see that for myself, too."

Kirito and Asuna could only laugh at their friend's remark. AT-LOW was the same as ever. It was almost hard to forget how exactly the two had met.

XXXXXXXXXX

In Aoyama, Kazuya had a hard time keeping his composure. The cops were everywhere, scouring the entire area, and yellow caution tape was already set up. "Oh man, did something happen?" Yuzu asked, worried while Suguha was starting to go pale. "D-don't tell me that what was written in the Laplace Mail was...?"

"True?" a familiar, smooth yet cold voice said from behind them, amused. "That all depends on how you interpret truth."

"The three turned around to some face to face with a young man with silver hair and red eyes dressed in a green and black yukata, bluish-gray shirt and pants, and wooden sandals. However, they already recognized who it was.

"Naoya...?!" Yuzu blurted out.

"I'm surprised to see you, Kazuya. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"...I'm glad you're safe." The headphones wearing teen gave a sigh of relief.

"Safe?...Oh, you mean the incident in the building." Naoya realized, but didn't seem affected by the past event.

"Well, of course that was what we meant!" Suguha cried out in disbelief, but was also relieved to see him safe. "Seriously, that email you sent made us all jittery! Seriously, not a cool joke!"

"Yeah, seriously!" Yuzu nodded in agreement. "Well... I'm glad you're okay too. But, what happened?"

"I don't know all the details, but apparently the attendant next door to me was killed." Naoya said, not in the least bit affected by his own words, and showed no signs of horror or mortification. "The officers say that they found him eaten alive."

"...How can you be so calm about that?!" Suguha cried out. Really, how was Naoya so composed at a time like this?

"By the way..." Naoya changed the subject. "How is Kazuto these days?"

Suguha blinked, wondering how he could just casually dismiss something such as someone being killed so easily before answering. "...He's doing well, a nerd as ever. He said he wanted your help with something regarding Yui."

"Ah, his daughter." he smiled a bit as he dug around in his pocket before he produced what looked like a black chip. "The program software's in here. Just tell him to insert it into the COMP. He will be rather pleased."

"Oookaaay...?" Suguha was confused, but took in nonetheless. "A-anyway, are you serious? Someone was killed... and eaten?"

"Don't tell me what that COMP said was true...!" Yuzu paled. "W-what does that mean?!"

Kazuya pondered that. Normally, the correct thing to think would be that it was the murderer who sent it, a warning. However, there were also other facts to consider, the first being the sender, and the second being the other articles listed in the email. That left a second conclusion. "It's telling the future?"

Naoya cracked a large grin as he laughed. "An interesting theory... But not entirely false. Normally, one would think the one who sent the email carried out the murder. You're worthy of being my cousin after all."

"I understand why the three of you came here, Kazuya. But our meeting here is an accident. We shouldn't be talking like this." His expression became one of forewarning. Hurry and find Atsuro and Kazuto immediately. It's going to begin soon..." As he said those words, Kazuya felt a sense of foreboding, as if something really will happen. And whatever it is...it can't be good.

"Be...gin...? What are you talking about?!" Suguha demanded.

"..." Naoya looked away. He no longer had the intention of answering any more questions. "There isn't much time left. Listen carefully to me, all of no turn away from what is about to happen now. Do not be afraid to stand up against it. That is when the door of truth will open...Overcome your fate." As he finished, he walked away from the trio.

"Oh...! W-wait a second!" Yuzu tried calling out, but it was too late. Naoya was already gone.

"What the heck was that about...?" Suguha muttered before Kazuya's cell phone went off. The blue haired teen removed the item from his pocket and flipped it open. The caller ID showed Atsuro.

"Atsuro?" Kazuya asked once he opened up the cell.

"Yo!" the computer whiz greeted. "Me and Kirito figured out how to crack the COMPS! Meet us in front of the Electronics Museum!"

With that, the call ended. "Was that Atsuro?" Yuzu asked, to which Kazuya nodded. "What did he say?"

"He said to meet him and Kazuto in front of the electronics museum."

"Well let's go then. If we leave now, we can make it to them before 17:30." They nodded to Suguha's proposal and left the residence. However, their minds were still heavy from what Naoya told them.

'Just what did Naoya mean by that...?' Kazuya wondered. 'And... Why did he... look so sad?'

When the arrived, they found Kazuto and Asuna hanging by the front of the Electronics museum, though Atsuro was nowhere to be seen. "Yo guys." Kirito greeted them. "Took you long enough."

"Sorry, Big Brother." Suguha apologized, rubbing the back of her head before noticing that Atsuro was missing. "Huh? Where's AT-LOW?"

"He'll be back soon, something about double-checking software." Asuna giggled before noticing the heavy looks on their faces. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"...We went to Aoyama." Kazuya informed them. "There was a murder."

"Wha-?! Seriously?!" Kirito asked in alarm. Asuna equally disturbed. The news from the email came true? Was it a precursor to the future?

"Yeah. An attendant was eaten alive. The police deemed it to be a carnivorous animal responsible." Kazuya answered.

"R-really?" Asuna asked, almost fearfully. "Then, d-does that mean that Laplace Mail is...?!"

"Heeey, guys!"

They all turned to see Atsuro running towards them, a happy grin on his face. "Yo, what took you guys so long? How far away did you guys go when you were killing time?" He asked Kazuya, Yuzu, and Suguha.

"We went to Naoya's place." His azure haired friend answered.

"Huh? You guys went to see Naoya?"

The group informed him of what had transpired when they arrived at Aoyama, and like Kazuto and Asuna, Atsuro's face became disturbed.

"Damn... seriously?"

Suguha nodded. "Yeah... it was totally freaky." she said before she recalled what Naoya had told her to give to Kazuya. "Oh yeah. Big Brother, here."

"Eh?" Kirito took the small chip from her, examining it before looking at his cousin. "What's this?"

"The thing you asked Naoya for help on." she told him. "he said you had to put it into the COMP or whatever."

"Seriously?! That's great!" Kirito made no hesitation in taking it. Just as he was about to input it, Atsuro stopped him.

"Whoa there, buddy. I don't know what you're so excited about, but shouldn't we unlock the encryption first?" He asked. Even though he was curious about what Kirito seemed eager for, they had matters first.

"Oh, right, sorry."

"So, how exactly do you unlock these things?" Yuzu asked curiously.

Atsuro grinned. "Well, before that, gimme your COMPS for a second." Suguha raised an eyebrow, but they relinquished their COMPS to the whiz kid.

"I'm still not convinced. So tell us what you found out, Atsuro, Kazuto." Yuzu urged them.

"Yeah, well...I was completely fooled. I think Naoya knew we'd try to get inside one ourselves." Atsuro started.

"It seems these six COMPs are always monitoring each other, so we couldn't crack one, or even our three, without the others."Kazuto continued.

"Yeah. See, a COMP has this always on wireless feature that allows it to exchange data with-" Atsuro continued with his own explanation, using terminology that wouldn't make much sense to a normal person.

"Ugh, stop...!" Yuzu groaned, holding her head. Her eyes were swirls, and steam was pouring out of her head. "My head is spinning!"

"What he's trying to say is," Kirito took over the explanation. "the COMPS are linked together. If you want to crack them, you have to have them all online at the same time, otherwise it won't work."

"Don't worry about it, Yuzu." Asuna smiled. "I didn't really get it either when Atsuro told me."

"Well, can you crack them now?" Kazuya asked curiously. Kirito grinned and nodded alongside Atsuro. "Yep! Alright, I'm turning them on now!"

As they waited for the two to unlock the COMPS, Kazuya noticed that there were not as many people around unlike earlier, but what really caught his interest was...

'Naoya?'

Kazuya wasn't sure if it was real or his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he could've sworn he saw a figure that greatly resembled his cousin, wearing the exact same attire. His face held no expression, but gave off a cold feeling...

"Okay, done! I'm restarting the COMPs!"

Kazuya was snapped out of his thoughts, and looked back at the COMPS, which were all lined up, their screens open.

Why did he have such a bad feeling about this?

The screens glowed to life, the logo: Communication Player, lighting up in red lettering. A menu with various files popped up before the screen fell black again, more words appearing soon after.

**Decryption confirmed.**

**Booting Program.**

**Pieces of data quickly appeared in the screen before streaming upward.**  
**  
...Condition Green**

**DEMON SUMMONING PROGRAM ready to boot.**

**Booting DEMON SUMMONING PROGRAM.**

**As the last line of words appeared, the screen fell black. Then one last stream of data flowed before a message was typed across the screen.**

**Peaceful Days died...**

**...**

**Let's Survive.**

As soon as those words appeared, all of the screens became encased in light, causing the group to shield their eyes.

"W-what's going on?!"

Once the light died down, six spheres of black and red energy materialized before imploding. In there places were inky black portals. From those rips of the dimension, six beings stepped out.

They were anything but human.

What stood before Kazuya could only be described as an anthropomorphic wolf with human hands. Its fur was a dirty brown, its eyes blank and crazed, just like a hungry beast. The only clothing it wore was a green loincloth, golden greaves, and golden torso armor. In its hands was a metal club. As it looked to the headphone wearing teen, it licked its lips like a predator with its prey in sight.

The other two monsters were smaller. In front of Atsuro was what appeared to be a tabby cat wearing a blue dome hat and in front of Yuzu was a tiny feminine humanoid with insect wings. She was wearing a blue body suit and had short red hair.

The other three monsters were before Kazuto, Asuna, and Suguha.

The first creature had a long blue tongue hanging down from its mouth, its eyes focused on him with killing intent. It had no legs or arms, just to claws in place for the upper torso's limbs, and its lower body was attached to the ground. The second was a girl with a mischevious glint in her eyes, having black hair and wearing a rather revealing suit, a white jacket that exposed a fair portion of her cleavage, and short shorts, complete with boots. Bat-like wings spread out from behind her back and a tail with a diamond tip flicking around happily. The last looked like some kind of monkey with large hands and dark hair tied into a braided ponytail, bearing sharp pointy fangs as teeth.

"Sheesh, finally out..." the first creature sighed. "Cramped spaces aren't good for an old man like me."

"You're always complaining about stuff like that." The second creature rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm not young like you guys." The first argued back.

"Hey! Hey! Less talking! Aren't those humans?!" The monkey? creature pointed out.

"W-what the hell are these things?!" Atsuro cried out in shock as he stumbled back, his eyes wide. Kazuto could hardly believe what he was seeing himself. These things... they looked like the kind of things you'd see in a video game... so why... why were things like this in the real world?!

"W-what... are you..."

"Is this...The human world?" The fairy creature questioned. Then she looked to the six teens. "Then these humans must be the ones who summoned us."

"Then we shall fight!" The wolf creature snarled. Fight and We shall grasp our freedom!"

"Let's go then? The biat-winged girl cheered.

"Yahoo!" The orange creature agreed.

"F-Fight...?!" Yuzu stammered. Were they going to to fight against these things?!

"Whoa, shit!" Kazuto cried in shock as he fell flat on his rear as the creature dashed at him and swiping his claws, barely missing his scalp. 'Damn he's fast!'

"N-no, don't come any closer!" Yuzu cried as the fairy thing went straight for her. "Help! Kazuya! Atsuro!"

"Yuzu!" Atsuro cried in worry as he rolled away from the fur ball that tried to knock his head off. "Dammit, we're coming!"

"Che!" Kazuya scowled as he ducked underneath the wolf creature's attack before slamming his head straight into its jaw. "Guys, we've gotta fight!"

"Fight?! Are you serious?!" Suguha cried as she ducked behind a mailbox to shield herself from the orange creature.

"Is that even possible?!" Asuna ducked underneath the bat-winged girl's kick before jumping back.

Kazuya said nothing as he punched the wolf creature straight across the face. It staggered back a bit before wiping its maw. "GRAAR! YOU ARE STRONG!" Its face then broke out into a feral grin. "This...THIS IS FUN! LET'S FIGHT MORE!"

Atsuro saw Kazuya's action, and was surprised that his punch was effective. "It...It worked! Our attacks work on these guys!"

Kirito grinned as he followed Kazuya's example, and slammed his knee straight into what he believed to be the old creature's stomach. "Gurk!"

"Nice shot!" Asuna praised before she moved to the side and elbowed the bat-winged girl in the stomach, following up with a quick foot strike to the face.

"Kyah! That's hurt!" The girl shrieked.

"It's only fair. You attacked first." Asuna huffed.

Suguha moved out of her hiding place and smacked the orange creature into the lamp post next to her.

"YEOWCH!" the monkey cried out, rubbing its red face. "That hurt... You're seriously mean, lady!"

Atsuro evaded another strike from the cat creature, and swung his leg back as far as he could before slamming it straight into it's small form, shooting it away like a soccerball. To his luck, it hit the fairy being that was attacking Yuzu, slamming into a building. "Heh, goal!"

"Nice shot there, Atsuro!" Kazuya cheered before he jumped back from the metal club striking the ground.

The fairy pushed the cat creature out of her way, and she was not amused. "Damn you! Who the hell does that to a lady?! You're dead!" She screeched. Although, with her high pitched voice, the threat did not carry as much weight as it would have.

And it was a shame she didn't notice Yuzu's foot colliding with her small body. "That's for earlier!" she declared, pushing her back into the wall.

"heh, not bad sonny!" the old creature chuckled as he evaded Kirito's attacks before moving in, forcing the former SAO gamer to dodge. 'Crap, I can't land a hit on this guy!'

His thoughts were interrupted as the monster reappeared before he could react and smacked him away. He lost his momentum and fell backwards.

"Kirito!/Big Brother!" everyone cried in alarm. They all saw Kiritos body lay sprawled on the concrete ground.

"Sorry kid." the creature apologized before swooping in for the kill. However, at the very last second, Kirito sprung into action, a feral grin on his face as he grabbed the creature by its head, and wrapped his legs around its head. "GOTCHA!"

"Gruh! Hey, you tricked me!" The creature choked.

In response, Kirito flipped over and slammed its face into the ground, driving it even further with an elbow smash to the back of the head. "No I didn't, it's called playing possum, a strategy!"

"And THIS!" Kirito announced as he grabbed it by the skull, and reared his arm back. "IS GAME OVER!"

With a quick toss of the fist, the creature was sent flying, it's body skidding across the ground before it's head became limp. "Heh, one down!" Kazuto grinned, giving Kazuya a thumbs up as he was finishing up on his end as well, grabbing the steel pipe the wolf-creature was using before pulling it toward him, grabbing the thing by the fur atop it's head, and ramming his knee into it's face. It relinquished it's hold on the club, crying out in pain.

It didn't even see the club swinging at it's head before it was too late.

CLANG...!

The disturbing noise of metal impacting with bone resonated throughout the area. The wolf creature froze for a moment. Then two. Then three. Then it finally fell forward on its knees and it's body became limp.

"That's two down..." He gave Atsuro a thumbs up of his own.

"Make that three!" Suguha cheered as she delivered a heavy strike with her leg, swinging it down upon the unfortunate monkey. It seemingly squished down into the ground before popping back up, it's eyes like swirls as it swayed before falling to the ground.

"Four!" Yuzu slammed both her hands together on the tiny blue creature, squashing her between her palms. As she let go, the fairy was in a dazed and beaten state. She swayed as she spiraled down onto the ground, her wings bent out of shape. "Ha...ha...I did it..." Yuzu breathed in relief.

"AND FIVE!" Atsuro screamed at the top of his lungs as he, quite literally, grabbed the annoying furball into a headlock and then slammed it straight inside of a trash can. It was tossed on it's side, rolling away with a rather dazed and confused demonic cat. Atsuro was panting as he fell to the ground. "Whoo boy..."

"Make it six!" Asuna lashed out a quick strike to the bat-wing girl's face before using her momentum for a back kick, knocking her aside. As the girl landed on her feet, Asuna dropped down for a sweep kick and jumped, ramming her knee into the girl's chin.

"I guess..." Kazuto said, looking around at the defeated beings. "That's all of them, right?"

Before relief could settle in, however, the creatures stood back up, still battered and bruised. "Oh, come on!" Atsuro complained as he got ready for a fight along with the others. However...

"Man, didn't know humans were this tough..." the snake-like creature said, looking at Kazuto's form up and down before it cracked a grin. "Make good use of me, alright kid?"

"Eh?" Kirito blinked before the creature vanished into a burst of blue light. "W-what in the?!" he cried in shock as it disappeared, dispersing into the COMP.

"Well, cute and feisty..." the bat-winged girl giggled as she flew around Asuna, looking at her figure. "And not bad with the chest department either..." Asuna unconsciously took a step back, but the girl suddenly pulled Asuna into a hug and gave her a peck on the check. "Let's have some fun next time, okay sweetie?"

Before Asuna could even retort, the girl, too, vanished in a burst of blue light and disappeared into her COMP. "...Eh...EH?!" Asuna wasn't sure what to react about now. That the girl was seemingly undressing her with her eyes, or that she was kissed by her, or that she now vanished into her COMP.

The other creatures followed as well. "Try not to kick me so much next time you all me out, okay?" the cat asked with a grin as it vanished. The pixie puffed out her cheeks as she stuck her tongue out at Yuzu. "Don't misuse me!" she demanded as she and the cat disappeared into the COMPS. The monkey gave Suguha a thumbs up. "Let's do our best, partner!

Finally, the wolf monster stood tall in front of Kazuya. "...ME LOST...IF ME DEFEATED BY ONE WHO SUMMONS ME, BECOME MASTER. ME KOBOLD, DEMON OF WAR. TO MEET YOU, NICE! ME PROUD, TO HAVE STRONG MASTER." The Kobold spoke with a wide grin towards the azure haired teen. He then disappeared into his COMP.

"Uh..." Atsuro sweat-dropped, unsure how to process what just happened. "What... the hell... was that?"

"You got me." Kirito scratched his head in confusion. "I'm just as lost as you guys."

"Well..." Kazuya said as he looked at everyone, all of them more or less bruised, beaten, exhausted, and tired. He stopped when he noticed something, something that suddenly brought a message from the dream he had into his head:

"Fear the Numbers your eyes shall see"

Above everyone's head, including his own... was the number 1.

"What the hell?" Kirito exclaimed in shock, seeing the numbers as well.

"You can see them too?" Kazuya asked.

"Yeah but, what are they?" Kirito was feeling a type of vibe from seeing the numbers before his eyes. It was anything but good.

"W-what in the world just happened?" Yuzu asked, still confused and frightened by what happened before looking at the ones that, to an extent, were responsible. "Atsuro, Kazuto, what did you two do?!"

"Hey, don't look at us!" Atsuro snapped back, equally as shaken up. "The program activated all by itself!"

"All we did was break the encryption, everything else happened on its own." Kirito defended. Where one would be disturbed by what just happened, Kirito's reaction was one more of confusion.

"Then...the COMP is what made this happen just now? That doesn't make any sense! That's impossible!" Yuzu cried. SHe was the most shaken out of all of them. "Let's go to the police! We can't hold onto something this dangerous!"

"Wait, hold on!" Asuna said, stopping her. "I think it's better if we check it out more."

"Check it out?!" the frightened girl replied, staring at the woman as if she were insane. "What is there to check out?!"

"Yuzu, I understand that these things, or whatever came out of them are dangerous, but listen to yourself! Do you seriously think the police will believe us? There's no way they'll believe what happened. Besides, Naoya was the one who made these, right?" she asked, looking at her boyfriend/husband and Atsuro. "Then maybe he left behind some answers."

"You know, you may be on the right track there, Asuna." Atsuro nodded in realization. "Just give a bit of time to figure things out." He took out his laptop and connected his own COMP to it. Kirito did the same, thinking that with two people they would find answers much faster.

After a few minutes of examining files, both teens found the answers to their questions. "Ah...I get it. So that's why..." The white hat wearing teen whispered to himself.

"What, did you figure something out?" Yuzu asked.

"Well, I have to say, whatever the hell this is, the program is apptly fitting." Kirito said morbidly. "The reason those things appeared was because of this thing called the Demon Summoning Program."

"Demon...? You mean, those beings from books, myths, and legends?" Asuna asked.

"That's right." Kirito nodded. "Although, I have absolutely no clue how a computer can summon them."

"Well, they showed up. So now we know it's possible." Kazuya pitched in his two cents.

"Yeah...we really saw them, so we have to believe what happened..." Atsuro agreed. "Anyway, the other function I found in this COMP is named the "Harmonizer".

"Harmonizer...?" Kazuya frowned. "So, it... harmonizes?"

"Basically, yeah." Kirito nodded. "It can put the strength of demons and the strength of humans on the same wavelength. Demon attacks are weakened, while ours are stronger."

"It's similar to the summoning program, and we have no idea what principle are behind it." Atsuro admitted.

"Hah...I'm totally lost...I don't get any of this! What is Naoya trying to do?!" Yuzu demanded. "Summoning demons, protecting us from them...what does he want us to do!?"

"Maybe...we fight demons?" Kazuya offered.

"What for though?" Asuna asked. "Considering this is Naoya we're talking about, I doubt he'll just tell us."

"She has a point, Kirito." Atsuro said before he recalled something. "Oh yeah, I noticed something weird about your COMP. It has some weird program software, but..."

"Weird program software...?" Kirito asked quizically as he examined his black COMP. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that it has a software feature that isn't found on our COMPs. Only yours. Maybe Naoya added something to it?"

It was then that Kirito recalled the chip that Naoya told Suguha to give him. "Maybe it has something to do with this?" he asked, pulling out the chip in question and handing it to Atsuro. "He said to put it inside, right?"

Atsuro nodded and immediately went to work. It only took a few seconds, but soon enough, another booting program screen appeared.

What it had shocked Kirito down to his very core.

"Uploading MAG-Version 00.1 Mental Health Program... YUI?!"

"Y-Yui?!" Asuna rushed over to Kirito's side, looking over his shoulder to examine the screen. Sure enough, one of the words that stuck out was Yui.

"Yui-chan?" Suguha asked in shock. She too, rushed over to her cousin's side.

Uh... who's Yui?" Yuzu asked, completely confused as she looked over at Kazuya, who explained it to her. "Yui is Kirito and Asuna's daughter in ALO."

...

...huh?

"Uh, Kazuya... did you just say this Yui thing is their daughter?"

"Yes, I did. According to Kirito, she was an AI Mental Health program back in SAO." he told her before moving to his friends' sides. "But... why would this be here?"

As if to answer his question, once the program stated it was done booting, a bright light embraced the screen, forcing them to shield their eyes. "Aw, not again!" Suguha cried as they all got ready for a fight.

However...

Instead of a demon that appeared before them, it was a young girl. She appeared to be around eight or nine years old. Her raven black hair was long, falling down to her hips. Her eyes were closed, as if she were sleeping peacefully. She was wearing a white, one-piece dress and was barefoot.

In a mere few moments, the girl opened her eyes, revealing them to be black, like Kirito's. They scanned the unfamiliar setting she was in. She then turned to the two people that were most important to her.

"Papa...Mama...?"

With the exception of the SAO survivors and Suguha, the other three just stared at the girl blankly.

"Um... did she just..."

"I think she did..."

"Then, she's...?"

"Y-Yui?" Kirito choked, unable to believe his eyes, frozen in place until Asuna ran past him and practically squeezed the girl in her arms. "YUI!"

"B-but how is that possible?!" Suguha cried in shock. Kirito wasn't sure how to respond, and while despite his questions for Naoya, he couldn't help but want to hug the man.

Yui was here in the real world!

He stopped restraining himself and joined in with Asuna hug Yui. This was like a dream come true!

"Papa! Mama!" The girl smiled happily as she hugged her 'parents' back. SHe never would've thought she would appear in the real world. But all rationale disappeared once she realized she would be with her mama and papa!

"I can't believe it..." Kirito said, crying tears of joy. "This is... like a dream come true. Ha-haha! Naoya, you are the MAN!"

"But... how in the world is that possible?" Atsuro gaped, absolutely dumbfounded. "Turning Data into an actual person... that just isn't..."

"I would't think too much about it, Atsuro." Kazuya told him, smiling alongside Yuzu at the sight. "Just let them enjoy the moment."

Atsuro turned to see what his friend was talking about, and soon couldn't help but agree. Just seeing Kirito, Asuna, and Yui together like this, hugging one another and smiling together, they truly are a family.

"Yui..." Asuna sniffed, as she wiped away her tears. "H-how in the world are you here...?"

"I... I don't know, Mama..." Yui shook her head once they parted. "It's very weird... I was back in ALO waiting for you, but then my head started to hurt. I thought I could hear Big Sis Strea."

Kirito froze.

Strea. The name of the girl that Kirito had met on floor 76th, after the glitch in the system prevented everyone from setting foot on the floor from returning to the lower levels. She had first been following Kirito, deeming him interesting. It wasn't long until she got to know all of his other friends, and before they realized, Strea had become part of their group. She was a reliable ally that fought side by side with them as they progressed through the levels. However, when they neared the end of the game, the shocking truth of the girl was revealed.

She was not human, but a Mental Counseling AI Program like Yui.

The last time he had seen Strea was after he had cleared the game and defeated her when her program had gone berserk. Yui said that her data was now apart of her, but to know that she might still be alive...

"So, you don't remember how you got here?" Suguha asked. Yui nodded. "Huh... I wonder how Naoya did it?"

"Maybe he has answers." Atsuro said. "You guys said he was at his apartment, right? Let's go check."

"Yeah." Kirito nodded before he noticed the confused look on Yui's face, staring at the group. "Oh, right... this is her first time meeting you guys. So, guess we better star the introductions." he chuckled as he looked over at Kazuya. "This is Kazuya Minegishi."

"Akuma, at your service" Kazuya said. "Nice to see you, Yui-san."

"Likewise!" Yui chirped happily.

Kirito them looked over to Atsuro. "And this is Atsuro Kihara."

"You may also know me as AT-LOW." Atsuro smiled. "It's been a while, Yui." He then gestured to the girl in pink next to him.

"And this is your first time meeting her, but this is Yoohoo-Gruh!" Atsuro stopped as Yuzu whacked him on the head.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" SHe yelled at him. "My name is Yuzu! Don't introduce me like that!"

Yui couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "They fight just like Mama and Papa." she said before looking at her 'parents'. "Are they married to?"

Kazuya couldn't suppress the large grin on his face. "WHAT?!" Atsuro and Yuzu cried out in unison. "HELL NO!"

"Hey! Language, guys!" Suguha yelled back as she covered Yui's ears. She wouldn't let the little girl, who she had grown close to throughout her time of knowing her ever since back in SAO, be corrupted by foul tongue.

"She does raise a good point." Kazuya remarked, looking at the two. "You two do bicker like a married couple."

"Oh, come on" Atsuro groaned. "Not you too, Akuma!"

"Can we please get back on track?" Asuna sighed, shaking her head. "We need to go see Naoya and ask him if he knows about how he brought Yui here and about that demon summoning thing."

"Oh right..." Kazuya then realized something. "...But...what if he isn't there? Last we saw of him, he just walked away from us." He didn't bring up the fact of who he saw earlier, as he still had no idea if it was really Naoya or not.

"Well, we won't know unless we go." Atsuro said. Kirito nodded at the logic, and the group went on their way to Aoyama. On the way, Yui, having never experienced the real world before, began asking question after question after question, all of which her 'father' was more than happy to answer.

XXXXXXXXXX

The seven traveled to Aoyama, however, they were greeted with the police still stationed in front of the apartment building. Hazard tape was spread across the entryway, and a patrol man was on the look out.

"Man...We'll never get near Naoya's room like this..." Atsuro sighed.

"I guess we were lucky to see him." Kazuya said sadly, hoping to see his cousin again before he noticed his mailbox. It was stuffed with newspapers, meaning it had been a long time since he last came to his apartment.

"If that mailbox means anything, I'd say you're right." Suguha nodded. "Drat, and here I thought we had a lead."

"Ano, Papa..." Yui said, wanting to grab her 'father's attention.

"What is it, Yui?" Kirito asked.

"It looks like you and everyone else has a message notification." she informed him, much to his surprise.'

"Eh?" Asuna said, shocked. "You're still connected to ALO, Yui?"

"No, it's more like... I'm connected to Papa's Communication Player."

"Well, what does the message say?" Suguha asked, curious.

"The message is as follows: "Congratulations! You are all qualified to become Demon Tamers!"

"D-Demon Tamers?!" Everyone whipped out their COMPs to read the received email.

**From: Naoya  
Subject: Congratulations**

**It seems you've used the COMP. Well done. I figured that the general confusion would be dying down by now.**

**I gave you six the COMPs because you need the power of the demons. If you want to survive, you'll have to learn how to use them. I don't have much time right now. Head to Aoyama Cemetery. You'll meet a person who will influence your future actions.**

**Oh, and Kazuto and Asuna, hope you enjoyed my surprise for you.**

'Damn right we enjoyed it' Kirito thought briefly before he wondered why Naoya would create such a program. "Be nice if he told us about this earlier..." he grumbled before closing his COMP and looking at Yui. "Hey, Yui, is there anything you can tell us about this Demon Summoning Program?"

Yui nodded. "I don't know much about the program itself, but it seems that it derives from the user's thoughts and desires. The stronger their thoughts, the more powerful the demon that appears. Each demon is separated into races or clans, each with a unique ability. However, a Demon Tamer can only contract to the demon they defeated that originated from the COMP. You can't contract a stray demon. Also, demons grow stronger by consuming Magnetite, a material source found inside of demons."

"A material source...? You mean we have to defeat more demons for our demons to become stronger?" Kazuya asked.

"It's almost like a video game. Defeat an enemy, gain experience, get stronger." Kazuto voiced his thoughts.

"But what happens to the demon we have if they get defeated?" Suguha asked.

"The demons that you've been contracted to that are defeated will return to the COMP." Yui stated. "Also, demons have access to abilities called skills. They can only have seven skills, three to use both outside and inside of battle, three passive skills to provide benefits, and a racial skill, the unique ability each member of a race possesses. For example, Papa's demon, Waira of the Wilder race, can increase both his and Papa's movement speed. It's also possible for Demon Tamers to use skills as well, but they don't have access to Racial Skills. Instead, they have support skills."

"Huh, that makes sense..." Kirito said aloud. "Anything else?"

Yui nodded. "To assign skills, just access one of the folders in the COMP's home menu. However, only the leader can assign skills, the ones in question being Papa and Akuma."

"What skills are available to us?" Kazuya asked curiously. It was important to know what you were working with.

"The skills available are Agi, a fire spell, Bufu, an ice spell, Zan, a force spell, Zio, a lightning spell, Dia, a healing spell, and Multi-Hit, a physical attack. You can access more skills later on, but that requires the Demon Tamers to acquire magnetite to strengthen their own bodies, not just demons. In a way, Papa's analogy about it being like a video game is accurate. Right now, all of you would be at Level 2, from having defeated your demons and contracting them."

"Level two huh?" Kazuya looked at his COMP. "...We still have a ways to go before we're strong enough for whatever Naoya foresaw for us to need these."

"That I agree." Kirito spoke. "But to give us the Demon Summoning Program, just what is he thinking? What does he know?"

"I say add that to the list of things to ask him." Asuna said. "Why don't we look around? There might be some clues."

The group nodded, and began scouring the area. They searched anyplace that the police hadn't quarantined off, but unfortunately, there was not many places for them to search. Eventually, there was only one place left.

Both Asuna and Yuzu were against it. "I-isn't there... someplace else we can check?" Asuna asked, glancing over at Aoyama Cemetery.

"I'm sorry Asuna. But we already looked everywhere in Aoyama. This is the only place left." Kirito answered as he held Yui by her hand. The young girl, in contrast to the two eldest females in the group, was not the slightest bit frightened. In fact, she was curious and eager to see what a cemetery looked like.

"But still...who would be in a place like this?" Atsuro asked.

"Don't tell me it's a ghost...I feel like there's something out there...all those graves!" Yuzu shuddered.

"Is it just me...or does it feel slightly cooler all of a sudden?" Kazuya brought up.

"You know..." Atsuro realized, looking around. "Now that you mention it..."

Just then, the ground shook a loud resounding BOOM echoing loudly into the distance. "W-what the heck?!" Kirito shouted, having nearly lost his balance. "An explosion?!"

"Crap! I remember now! It was in that email!" Atsuro shouted out in alarm. Everyone then remembered what he was talking about.

An explosion in Aoyama cemetery around 19:00.

"It sounded like...it came from the other side of the forest..." Yuzu spoke hesitantly, disbelieving what just happened.

"It's just like what the email said." Kirito said.

"Guys look!" Suguha pointed toward the forest. "Something's coming!"

Though they weren't able to see it, Kirito felt the familiar killing intent he had grown used to sensing for the last few years of his life, glaring at whatever was going to appear. He also did not miss Yui squeezing his hand. "Yui?"

"There's a demon coming..." she told him, narrowing her eyes at whatever was about to appear. "It's powerful..."

Finally, it emerged from the forest. It stood three heads higher than all of them, the vast majority of it's body colored white with a black face, and antler horns sticking out of it's head. "What in the world?" Suguha breathed, never seeing anything like it. It looked like something you would see in Jutenheimer.

"That's Wendigo, of the Jaki." Yui informed them. "Jaki's are capable of limiting movement."

"Tch...That woman!" the Wendigo clicked its tongue as it looked back in the forest. "I never knew humans could have such power!"

Just then, a man in orange robes appeared. Kazuya, Suguha, and Yuzu recognized it to be a Shomonkai robe. That man must be a member. He called out to the beast, "Wendigo, wait!"

The demon looked toward the newcomer and laughed. Its bellows were loud and cold, like a howling snowstorm. "Gwahaha! Fools! You are nothing like that woman! Do you really think you puny things can stop me!?"

With a quick swing, the man was thrown away, his body smacking up against a tombstone harshly, blood spewing from his mouth. "Aaah!" Yuzu screamed, recoiling in horror.

"F-forgive me..." the man breathed, blood dribbling from his mouth as he watched Wendigo waltz up to him, raising his fist. "Lady... Amane..."

Those were his last words as Wendigo brought his fist down, ending the Shomonkai monk's life all but instantly.

"I..." Atsuro took a step back, his eyes wide in horror while Kirito tried to shield Yui from the sight. "I... can't believe this...!"

Kazuya was unable to say anything as terror took a hold of him. A man had been killed...by a Demon. The azure haired teen noticed that the number above the monk's head was Zero before dying out and disappearing. Kirito noticed this as well, and both realized something:

Those numbers were tied to their life.

Finally, the Wendigo removed his hand, covered in blood, before noticing their presence. "Great, more pests!" it scowled deeply. "Kill one, more take their place!"

Just as he was about to advance towards the group, Yui suddenly went in front of them, glaring at the creature in an icy, cold silence. "Yui!" Kirito shouted in worry.

Wendigo scoffed. "A child? Bah!" he dismissed her as he prepared to attack.

However, then something unexpected happened. Before Wendigo could even move an inch, he suddenly found himself thrown back. Hard. "Gurk!"

"What?!" Kazuya's eyes widened when he saw what looked like a flame blade in Yui's hands, her body now floating, blue streams that looked like data flowing around her. The sword was easily longer than her, yet strangely, he felt no malice emerging.

"Kirito, isn't that?!" Asuna's eyes widened in shock, having seen this before.

Kirito nodded. "Yeah... It's the same as when we fought The Deadly Scythe."

"Wait, what?! What are you guys talking about?!" Atsuro asked in a panic, both from seeing the Wendigo trying to kill them, and seeing the little girl, Yui, holding it back with ease.

"Sorry, Atsuro, but I don't think now's the time!" Kazuya said to his friend, despite being curious as well.

"I won't let you touch Mama and Papa's friends!" Yui declared, aiming the tip of the blade at Wendigo.

"Geh... the hell are you?!"

"I am the Mental Counseling Program AI, Yui!" She responded boldly.

The Wendigo scratched its head in confusion. "Program...AI...? What the hell is that?!"

"There you are, Wendigo." a cold voice spoke from behind. The group's eyes widened when they saw a woman in Shomonkai robes, except her hood was down, revealing a flower ornament atop her head with chin-length dark hair.

'Wait, she was from earlier!' Kazuya thought, recognizing her. Wendigo seemed to recognize her as well, growling as he turned to her. "Che! Damned persistent woman!"

"I've found you, Wendigo. I won't let you get away this time!" Her voice possessed a chilling tone that ran down the spines of the observers sans Yui.

"Grah...! So now the wench thinks she can catch up to me!" Wendigo was growing angrier by the minute.

"Who is she?" Kirito asked, looking at his friends. "She's got the same robes as the man from earlier!"

"Member of the Shomonkai, I presume." Kazuya said.

Yui's eyes fell on the woman's form, and relaxed. "She is also a Demon Tamer, though she doesn't have any demons with her."

"Wait, what?!" Suguha shouted in worry. "You mean she plans to fight that thing all by herself?!"

"Either she's strong..." Kirito said. "Or she's got a death wish, and I'm hoping it's not the latter!"

"But, why would the Shomonkai be fighting demons in the first place?" Asuna asked. No one knew the answer.

"Hey! You need to run away! It's too dangerous!" Atsuro warned her.

Almost immediately, the girl noticed them, and her expression held traces of worry. "Why are civilians..." she muttered before noticing the girl. "Wait, a child? ...No, she is not human, but... neither is she a demon."

"Miss, please evacuate!" Yui told her. "Wendigo is powerful demon, you must run!"

"You know of him?" the girl asked, surprised. "Who in the world are you?"

"I am a Mental Health Counseling program AI. My name is Yui!" SHe introduced herself, despite the confusion that it would soon bring.

"Program...? AI..? How is that possible?"

"Never mind that!" Kazuya shouted. "You need to get out of here!" He looked back at the others. "C'mon guys!"

"YEAH!"

The girl's eyes widened they brought out their respective COMPS, further shocked when demons appeared, all of them diverse. "They have COMPS?" she breathed in surprise. "Then... they are also Demon Tamers. But, where on Earth did they...?"

"Geh, so, the brats have demons as well...!" Wendigo growled. "Fine! C'mon!"

Upon his cry, more guest have arrived for the party. Demons started to appear from behind the grave markers and entrances. Their gazes were focused on the group of teenagers.

"Wh-where did these guys come from?" Yuzu panicked.

"I don't know! Maybe they were drawn in by Wendigo?" Kirito offered.

"Whatever the case..." Asuna said, her eyes becoming dangerous as she and Lilim stood side by side. Electricity began to dance in the palm of her hand, glaring at the creatures. "Let's send them packing."

"Hell yeah!" Atsuro grinned in agreement as wind began to swirl around the base of his palm, the cat demon grinning as it sat atop his shoulder, throwing punches.

"Well, got nothing better to do!" Suguha giggled as ice began to form around her hands, the chilling wind swirling around her as Obaryion grinned and leaped in front of her, lifting its hands as if to say 'bring it'.

"Alright then..." Kazuya said, his eyes flashing red for a moment as he lifted his hand up, flames dancing around in his palm. "Let's do this." Kobold growled beside its master, swinging its club around and howling out for battle.

"I can't do much..." Yuzu said before the fear vanished, replaced by fierce determination, a warm light beginning to dance around her hands. Pixie flew next to her master, electricity dancing around her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But I can do this at the very least!"

"Okay then!" Kirito grinned as his hands began to glow, Waira dashing to his side a second later. "Let's get WILD!"

"I won't let anyone hurt Mama, Papa, or anyone!" Yui declared, preparing herself for battle.

The girl was stunned. They were showing no fear whatsoever, showing no hesitance to face against the dangers that stood before them. "Wait, that boy..." her eyes widened when she saw the blue-haired teen. "Could he be...?"

"Foolish humans!" Wendigo bellowed, disrupting her thoughts. "TO think you would fight against us?! I am not sure to think you of every stupid or bold. Nevertheless, you will all die here!"

"EAT! SLAUGHTER!" The rogue Kobolds growled.

There were quite a few demons in the area, two to three Kobolds, and a single Pixie, who was accompanied by one of the wolves.

One of the Kobolds went straight after Yui, its club dragging behind it. "Yui!" Yuzu cried out in worry, but soon found her fear to be useless. With inhuman agility, Yui leaped into the air, easily evading the overhead strike from the demon. "HUH?" the demon blinked before it was soon engulfed in flames, a large gash found in its chest as Yui came back down, leaping away from it and brandishing her blade.

"I said, no touching Mama or Papa!"

"Wow..." Atsuro said in awe. "Well, at least now I know who she takes after!" he chuckled looking at the couple. "You sure she's not your actual kid in the game from doing it?"

"Atsuro! Not the time!" Both yelled at the programmer, who recoiled from the intense yelling.

"Sorry, sorry!" He apologized, failing to notice the Kobold creeping up behind him, its club raised.

Fortunately, Kazuya saw this and shot a fireball from his hand, sending the enemy away, howling in pain, and saving Atsuro's life.

"Stay focused, pal! We're not out of the woods yet." He told his friend.

"G-got it. Thanks for the save."

Kazuya tossed the flames, the intense heat searing straight through the Kobold's body. "Payback time!" Atsuro shouted as his demon leaped high into the air, and set off flames of his own, incinerating the already smoldering demonic wolf. It howled one final time before it was reduced to ashes, falling to the ground. "Hah, hell yeah!"

The third Kobold went straight for Asuna. The girl easily evaded the attack, stepping off to the left. Before it even knew what happened, Asuna slammed her leg into its jaw, sending it tumbling to the ground. "Shall we?" she asked her demon, who smiled in response. "Let's." she nodded, and the two unleashed two bolts of lightning, destroying it completely.

Suguha whistled. "Now that's hot." she chuckled from her own pun before she and Obaryion charged in at another Kobold. She delivered a hard strike to its abdomen, followed by a knee strike to it's head. Obaryion joined in, rearing its arm back and delivering a killer punch, thrashing the demon to the ground.

It did not get back up.

"Heh, as dangerous as ever, Sugu." Kirito praised his sister before turning his attention back to Wendigo, who growled in anger from seeing his comrades slain so easily. "Yui, let's go!"

"Hai!"

Kirito and Yui rushed toward the hulking demon, using his speed from Waira as a boost. Once they were within proximity of Wendigo, the raven haired teen released a shredding gale from his right hand right into its face. The wind scratched the monster's maw and eyes, temporarily blinding it.

Seeing this chance, Yui delivered a devastating slash to the beast, who now possessed a gaping wound on its chest, going straight through the heart.

"G-GRAAAAGH!" Wendigo screamed in pain and rage, his eyes burning with absolute fury. "DAMNED INSECTS!"

Wendigo swung his arm, hoping to defeat them. However, Yui blocked the attack easily, the flames burning straight into its skin. "And one more!" Kirito announced, the Multi-Hit skill already working. Faster than anything Kirito thought possible, he delivered a number of hits to the beast, sending strike after strike after strike. The final one sent Wendigo tumbling to the ground.

"Yui, now!"

"Mm!"

The girl leaped high into the air. Wendigo growled, sucking in a large amount of air before exhaling, sending a cold, chilling blast. However, Yui's skills were far beyond what the demon had believed. Her blade had torn straight through the storm, the intense heat blowing it all away. "W-what?!" Wendigo cried in shock.

Suddenly, from the perspective of the Demon, the world seemed to have been splitting. One half was sliding down from the other. Then he finally realized, the girl had cut him straight in half.

"D-Damn...you...DAMN ALL OF YOU...!...Gru...gragh!" The beast had taken its final break as it fell to the ground, its body dissipating.

"Mission complete!" Yui said, a smile on her face as the data that swirled around her, along with the blade, vanished as if they were never there. The group dismissed their demons, and all of them sighed in exhaustion. Yuzu and Suguha collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily while Kazuya and Kirito looked slightly tired. Atsuro seemed to be hanging in there, but he looked close to passing out.

The girl had not blamed them. She had intended to join in, to protect them, but after seeing their abilities, she saw that their prowess was not to be underestimated. They were not truly used to the powers they received, but the girl was quite something. 'An AI...' she thought curiously. 'To think it was possible for them to manifest in the real world... How is that possible? And that boy...' Her eyes fell on Kazuya. 'There is no doubt about it... He is...'

"Haa... Haa..." Atsuro panted, sweat falling from his face. 'Holy crap... Why do I feel so tired...' he wondered, never feeling so exhausted in all of his life. "I... never... want... to fight... that thing... ever... again...!"

"I hate to break it Atsuro..." Kazuya spoke to his friend. "But with demons just popping out of nowhere like that, we're going to have to experience more battles along the road."

"That's right." Kirito agreed. "We're going to have to keep fighting. We still need to find Naoya and ask him what the hell is going on."

"I know...I know..." Atsuro sighed. "Just...let me...take a break." He dropped to the ground and sat upright, relieving the exhaustion in his legs.

"Are you okay, Yui?" Asuna asked in concern to her 'daughter' Even though she knew what Yui was capable of, she couldn't help but worry for the little girl.

"Un! I'm fine, Mama." Yui nodded.

"Whoo, I'm glad..." Asuna said in relief, bending down to pat the girl on the head. "You did great! I'd say you're way more of a help than the rest of us!"

Yui's face brightened in joy. Kazuto and Kazuya couldn't help but smile at the scene, noting how heartwarming it was before they noticed something odd, yet at the same time, a relief.

"The numbers..."

The glowing, digits that had somehow disappeared once the fighting had begun now reappeared over the heads of all members of the party, sans Yui. They all read the same number: 1. This perturbed them. Based on what they witnessed earlier, the Shomonkai member who had the number 0 died before their eyes. Did this mean...they were going to die tomorrow?

Although, Kirito was somewhat at ease upon seeing Yui did not have a number.

However, a second later, the numbers began to glitch out. "What the heck?" Kirito frowned, wondering if something was going wrong until finally the static cleared up. The number had increased from one to three. "Three?"

"Do you think we were going to be killed by Wendigo tomorrow?" Kazuya asked.

"I have no idea..." Kirito confessed, shaking his head. "But, maybe... Whatever it is... It definitely has something to do with how long we have to live."

"So, you can see them as well..." the girl said as she approached them. "The numbers over your heads."

"So you know about them." Kirito asked. Aside from Naoya, who they have yet to find, this girl seemed to possess the information the group desperately needs to wrap their heads around the whole mess.

"Indeed. My name is Amane Kuzuryu, Maiden of the Shomonkai." She bowed upon introducing herself.

"Kazuto Kirigaya, but you can call me Kirito." the Black Swordsman of Aincrad introduced himself. "And this is Kazuya Minegishi."

"Minegishi?" Amane's eyes widened before nodding. "Ah, now I understand... You do bear a great resemblance to him."

This caught their attention.

"Wait, you know Naoya?!" Kazuya shouted, his eyes wide in shock. The others overheard this, surprised. Someone like this knew Naoya?

"Yes. He worked alongside us for a brief time." the maiden said. "However, once his work was concluded, he left. We have not seen him since then."

"You haven't seen him, huh?" Kirito mused. Just when they thought they had a lead on Naoya's whereabouts. It's disappointing, but nothing could be helped.

"Work...? What do you mean?" Kazuya was confused. Why would Naoya be working with a group with the Shomonkai? His skills mainly pertained to software programming, hence his occupation. Could it be that...?

"I'm sorry. But I'm not allowed to say, for now." Amane apologized. "I also apologize for not being able to tell you where your Cousin is now."

"I see..." Kazuya sighed, shaking his head.

"So then, you're a Demon Tamer as well?" Kirito asked curiously, earning a nod of confirmation.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, a great number of the Shomonkai are Demon Tamers. What happened tonight was nothing more than a prelude of what is to come."

"A prelude, huh..." Atsuro said, recalling the catastrophe that Naoya was referring to. "Don't like the sound of that."

"May I... ask you something?" Amane asked hesitantly, looking at Yui. "This girl... She is obviously not a demon, but neither is she human. Is she... truly an AI?"

"Yep!" Kirito grinned proudly. "This is Yui, my daughter!"

"Your...daughter...?" Amane was actually speechless. This little girl, who looked to be around 8 or 9 years old, is the child of the man before her, who looked no older than 18?

"Hai! This is my Mama." Yui lightly tugged the hem of Asuna's skirt.

"I... see..." Amane said slowly, unable to fully process it.

"Before you go thinking too much, she's more like their adoptive daughter." Kazuya informed her. "I don't know all the details, but apparently, Naoya found a way to bring her here in the real world. She's a mental health program of some kind; don't ask me about it though."

"Naoya brought her to the real world?" That certainly surprised her. "I know he is a man of many talents, but I had not thought he was capable of this."

"Tell me about it..." Suguha laughed. "But, it was probably the best surprise Big Brother and Asuna ever got."

"You bet it was." Asuna wrapped her arms around Yui's shoulders. "Now our daughter can experience what our world has to offer!"

"That's right." Kirito wrapped his arms around Asuna and Yui. "I really have to thank him for this."

"I see..." Amane smiled, happy for the both of them. Though they were young, it was obvious they cherished that girl as if she were truly their own daughter. "Considering what she is capable of, I doubt there are many demons that will be able to handle her. As much as I would like to ask more about you all, I must go. But, before that... may I know the rest of you?"

"Atsuro Kihara."

"Suguha Kirigaya, Kazuto's cousin!"

"Yuzu Tanikawa."

"Kihara, Kirigaya, and Tanikawa... I shall remember your names." Amane bowed her head. "Well, I bid you all farewell." However, as she turned to leave, she looked over her shoulder to deliver another message. "Also... it may be in your best interest to sleep here for the time being, at least until morning arrives. I've erected a simple barrier, it should be able to keep you safe for the time being."

"Wait, what?" Atsuro said, baffled, but got no farther than that when she left. "Huh... man, what a weird girl."

"Weird, maybe." Kirito shrugged his shoulders. "But helpful. At least now we know that Naoya was working with the Shomonkai."

Kazuya nodded. "Yeah, plus she mentioned that most of the Shomonkai are Demon Tamers as well... Something tells me there's more to this story than she lets on."

"Yeah." Kirito nodded in agreement. "Though, it looks she can't tell us. Well, I suppose we should trust her for now."

After he said that, the group became stunned as all of the nearby light suddenly flickered off. "H-huh?!"

"What the-? The streetlights went out!" Atsuro panicked. Just when he had hoped that nothing else happens.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Yuzu was growing more anxious by the minute.

"So the email came true again." Kazuya noticed.

"The email...? Oh, oh yeah! That's it!"

"What's it Atsuro?"

"Kazuya's right! It's a blackout. Remember what it said in the first email? It said there'd be a blackout!"

"Yeah. Even though we have no knowledge if it's city-wide or not, the email still came true." Kirito continued. "First the murder, then the explosion, and now the blackout? The email's predictions were spot on!"

"So, then that email..." Asuna started, looking serious. "Anything it says... comes true?"

"No, not necessarily." Yui disagreed, shaking her head. "The events listed in the Laplace Mail calculate possible scenarios, events, variables, and then chooses the most probable courses before making a decision. The events listed in the email are determined. It's also those events that calculate the number on the Death Clock."

Yuzu's face paled horribly. "D-Death Clock?!"

"Hold on!" Kazuya recalled. "Do you mean those numbers above our heads?!"

"Numbers?" Atsuro frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"So it's only me and Kazuya who can see them." Kirito realized. Was it because of the COMPs they held?

"What numbers?!" Atsuro repeated, his anxiety slowly building.

"Well, earlier, Kirito and I kept seeing this number above all of our heads. At first, we had no idea what they were for, but after seeing that Shomonkai priest getting killed, we got this weird suspicion."

"Wh-what suspicion?" Suguha asked, not really expecting the answer.

"...The number that we have...would indicate how much time we have left to live."

"W-what...?"

"Papa's right." Yui nodded. "The Death Clock can only be seen by party leaders. Depending on your actions, the number will either increase, or decrease."

"S-so, how many days do we have?" Asuna asked, almost fearfully.

"Well, up until we beat that giant snowman, only one." Kazuya said. "Now we're up to three."

"Three?" Suguha frowned. "So... we would have been killed by that Wendigo thing tomorrow?"

"Yeah, probably..." Kirito nodded. "Though, thanks to Yui, we've got a couple days. Still... I really don't wanna know what the hell will happen in the next couple of days."

"Yeah." the blue-haired teen nodded in agreement. "Why don't we get some shut eye? One of us should stand guard and take shifts."

"Sounds like a plan." Atsuro yawned. "Oh, man... I've never wanted it to be morning so badly in all of my life."

The group chuckled at that, though Kazuya stared at his hand, the same one that controlled the flames. He didn't know why it felt so strange, but when he used the power of the COMP, it felt... so thrilling, so brilliant. 'What's going on?'

It was a shame that he had no idea what would await him and his friends in the next couple of days, nor the fate that had been thrown upon him... and the world.

**End of Day BEFORE**

**Preview:**

_"Is that... Keisuke?"_

"Seriously, Kirito... First SAO, now this... I'm starting to think you're a trouble magnet!"

"Omigosh, it's Haru! Awesome! This is just what I needed to cheer me up!"

"C'mon, ya damn demons! Come on!"

**Next Time: Day 1 - LOCKDOWN**


	2. Chapter 2

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride, the creator of many great stories and upcoming projects, such as Highschool DxD: Shatter Destiny, Code BREAKER, Code Geass: Arc V, Fire Emblem: if, Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Highschool DxD ALT, Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset, Tatsumi ga Kiru!, and Evangelion REDUX: You Can (Not) Despair. **

**Like, Follow, Favorite, Review, and let us know what you think! **

**Also, there are many surprise elements within this chapter…..HAVE FUN!**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Tokyo Lockdown  
**  
The sleeping bodies within the Aoyama Cemetary slowly arose to the brightness of the morning sun. Kazuya was the first one to wake, Yuzu and Atsure following him soon after. The only ones remained asleep were Kirito, Asuna, Suguha, and Yui.

"Oh, morning, Kazuya..." Yuzu yawned. "Did you get some sleep...?"

"That girl was right. Some demon-looking things passed by, but they didn't notice us." Atsuro remembered.

"I guess that girl was right about the whole barrier thing." Yuzu said. "I can still barely believe everything that's happened. First demons pop out of our games, then Kirito's in-game daughter comes to life, we watch a man die... Hah, it's like something out of a science fiction movie, huh?"

Kazuya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is..." he chuckled a second later. "All we need is zombies, and then we have a horror movie."

"Dude, don't jinx it!" Atsuro half-shouted. They already had enough to deal with. The last thing they needed was the living dead to rise up and start the apocalypse.

Unfortunately, the volume of his voice woke up the sleepers.

"Mnrgh..." Asuna murmured as she rose up, rubbing one of her eyelids tiredly. "What's... what's going on?"

Kirito yawned loudly, a hand over his mouth. "Damn... Never thought the ground could feel so comfortable."

Yui blinked slightly as she lifted herself up from her father's chest, looking around. "...Ara? Where are we?" she asked, tilting her head and closing her eyes as if trying to remember something. "Oh, right... The Aoyama Cemetery..." The girl giggled. "This was my first time sleeping out in the real world where Papa and Momma live! Teehee~"

"Too bad it was here of all places..." Suguha groaned, rubbing her back. "God, I think I slept on a headstone or something... my back is killing me!"

"Sorry, did I wake all you guys up?" Atsuro asked sheepishly.

"I think you did..." Suguha answered as she stretched her back until a satisfying pop could be heard.

"So...I guess the barrier worked like a charm since we're not eaten yet." Kirito joked.

"Seems like." Kazuya nodded. "So, what do you propose we should do now? I, for one, don't like the idea of sticking around in a graveyard."

"Seconded." Asuna and Yuzu said in unison, causing the two to blink and look at each other before bursting into laughter.

"Yeah, we should probably get moving. I for one want to take a look at how the city is right now. We don't really know what happened after the blackout and explosion." Atsuro brought up.

"I know. I doubt that the people there are not panicking right now." Kirito added.

"Agreed." Kazuya nodded. Once the group was fully awake and aware, a small 'ding' echoed into the silent, crisp morning air. "Sounds like we got a new e-mail."

"Ugh, I hope it isn't more bad news..." Suguha groaned before looking at Yui. "So, what's it say?"

Yui closed her eyes for a brief moment. "One message is from someone under the pen name NAOYA, and the other is an ADMIN message, given to all COMPS functioning with the Demon Summoning Program."

"From Naoya?" the blue-haired teen frowned as he flipped his COMP open, and opened up the message his cousin sent him.

FROM: Naoya

SUBJECT: Death Clock

Kazuya, you're still alive, aren't you? Yui probably went over this, but I'll explain a bit more on the Death Clock to you.

The Death Clock displays the number of days a person has left to live.

The details are:  
-The Death Clock is only available to the party leader.  
-A single digit (0-9) is displayed.  
-If a person has 10 or more days left before death, nothing is displayed.

Finally, the Death Clock is simply a value calculated by the Laplace System. A person's actions can cause the value to change, so be careful.

"Wait, how did he know Yui already went over this with us?" Asuna frowned as she read the message sent to Kazuya. "Don't tell me he's been spying on us?"

"No, I don't think that's it." Kirito shook his head. "Atsuro and I checked out the program that brought Yui here. Remember how it was only compatible with my COMP? That means Yui is linked directly to it, just like how all of her data is stored on my NerveGear. That means information on the Death Clock was already uploaded to her." He looked to the data-girl. "Right?"

Yui smiled brightly, nodding. "Hai, papa!"

"Well, that's good to hear. At least we now have an idea what's going on." Suguha nodded in relief.

"Yeah. But we should probably check out the other message. There is a chance that something big could happen today." Atsuro added.

Everyone agreed, while some were reluctant to see the creepy email, they knew that it was the best way of determining possible outcomes. They accessed the other folder.

FROM: The Observer

SUBJECT: Laplace Mail

Good morning. Here is today's NEWS.

1) Power outages will continue in all parts of Tokyo within the Yamanote loop through the day. It is unknown when power will be restored.

2)Poisonous gas is suspected to have escaped from underground pockets. All train service is cancelled across all lines. All exits from within the Yamanote loop will be closed.

"Wha-?!" Kirito gawked, reading the first and second parts twice over. "You're kidding?! The trains are out?!"

"B-but, there's no way!" Yuzu chimed in agreement. "One of the trains has to be working, right?!"

"Y-yeah! There must be one working at least! They...they can't all be out!" Sugua nervously agreed, trying to deny the truth.

However, it was the last piece of the email that stopped all of them cold.

3) At around 13:00 a man will be killed by a horde of demons.  
VICTIM: Andrew Gilbert Mills

HaVE a nICE daY.

"..." Everyone, save for Yuzu, couldn't believe what they just read.

"No way...Agil...is going to be killed?!" Kirito voiced everyone's, save for Yuzu, thoughts.

"Wait, who's this Agil person?" Yuzu asked, shaken and confused. "Is he... someone you know?"

Atsuro nodded. "Agil's one of the veteran players, he helps out newbies." he explained. "If it weren't for him, I'm pretty sure me and Kazuya would be green horns in ALfheim right now. Still, to think he's gonna get killed..."

"W-we've got to find him!" Suguha shouted. "I mean, we can't let him die like this!"

"Hold on, Suguha." Kirito advised. "First off, we don't know where Agil is. Where would you look?"

"But... t-that's...!"

"Look, we don't know where to find him." Kazuya stated calmly. "For now, let's see if what this Laplace Mail said about the trains is for real. We can try to find Agil after that while we try to look for Naoya."

"Yeah, I agree." Kirito nodded. "Him giving us the COMPS, demons showing up, making Yui appear in RL... he's gotta know something about what's going on."

"Okay then." Atsuro nodded. "Let's head out."

The group nodded, determined to both find out the truth and to save their friend.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Whoa, what in the hell..."

The entire street was a mess.

A car was laying on its side. The front bumper was a mangled mess. Next to it lay a motorcycle, it's main body wrecked and the back wheel broken off. Behind the first car was another, the door to the passenger seat open and now unusable. The windows were completely shattered. This scene continued for several blocks.

The road was littered with ruined cars. Other vehicles seem to have been abandoned.

"I can't believe that a single blackout did this..." Yuzu murmured, unable to believe the level of destruction in front of her. "This is horrible."

Kazuya, however, shook his head. "No... This wasn't because of the blackout."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yuzu questioned.

"Headlights aren't hooked up to the power grid. Accidents like this wouldn't have happened..." Atsuro explained.

"Then...It really is because demons are in Tokyo...?"

"There's no proof, but that'd be my guess..." The hat wearing programmer looked down in disbelief. "Let's hurry...We're almost to Shibuya."

The images of the scene in front of them still remained, even as they continued on.

XXXXXXXXXX

The entire Yamanote Circle was locked down, right before their very eyes. The entire station was under complete lockdown, people standing in a giant crowd in front of a barricade. At the head were men dressed in military uniforms, armed with rifles. Kirito was quick to recognize them.

They were the Japan Self Defense Force.

He knew them well, since one of their members had been a great help to him in finding Asuna after SAO. But that led to him owing said man, Kikuoka Seijirou, during the Death Gun Incident. He didn't really detest the assignment itself, since it stopped the serial killings in the end, it was more like the favors that Kikuoka gives Kirito. It's almost as if the SDF is just using him to solve VR-related cases.

"The JSDF is here?" Asuna frowned. "Then, I guess what that e-mail said about there being a lockdown is true."

While they observed, the crowd was starting to become restless as a young man, who looked to be in his early twenties, began to speak to the crowd.

"Poison gas has leaked! This area is dangerous! Please stay away from Shibuya station! All lines, including private rials, are affected. Remain calm until the problem is solved! Police blockades are in effect throughout the Yamanote line, including overpasses."

"All the rail lines...? Then how are we supposed to get outside the Yamanote circle!?" A panicking businessman questioned.

"I repeat, poison gas has leaked! We will give you important updates! Until then, please, stay away!"

"WHen the hell are you gonna let us out then?!" a blonde-haired punk in shades growled, getting up close and personal to an older SDF soldier.

"Like he said, we will inform you when." the soldier stated calmly.

"And I'm asking you, when is that gonna happen?!"

"Che," someone snorted in disgust. "Quit yappin' like a dog and shut yer cake hole."

The source of the remark was a young man, presumably in his twenties. He had swept back, spiky brown hair and eyes sharpened to a glare. He was wearing a black long sleeved shirt with a high collar and blue trims.

"Huh? Who the hell said-!" The punk whipped around the mouth off at the man, but his words remained stuck in his throat. His arrogant attitude was replaced by one of nervousness quickly. "...! K-Kaido...?! I-I'm sorry, man!"

"Tch." the man scowled, which was apparently enough to send the kid running. "Sheesh, idiots these days."

"Kaido?" Atsuro repeated, recognizing the name. "As in, Kaido from the Shibuya Daemons?"

"You know him, Atsuro...?" Yuzu asked. "Ugh...more "daemons"...That's the absolute last thing I want to hear about now!"

"C'mon Yoohoo. They're not quite the same thing. A daemon is a guardian spirit. The Shibuya Daemons are one of the more charismatic punk gangs. Kaido's their leader. They're really famous in Shibuya."

"I think I've heard of him before." Kirito said. "Klein was talking about him one time, said that a biker group was harassing his neighbors when a bunch of street kids came around and knocked 'em down a peg."

"Really?" Asuna asked in amazement.

"Yeah. Armed with only a few pipes, wooden swords, and one with a folding chair, they took down all sixteen bikers without much hassle. I thought it was cool since Klein told me that Kaido was then one who used the folding chair and his fists."

"Wait, your kidding!" Suguha said, eyes wide in awe. "A folding chair and his bare hands?! What is he?! Kanji Tatsumi?!"

"Who?" Yuzu frowned. Everyone, save Yui, looked at the girl. "What?"

"...You don't play games all that much, do you, Yoohoo?" Atsuro deadpanned. "Do you even have a computer game?"

"Uh...no. I don't. I was never really interested in those kinds of things, honestly." She admitted. She just wasn't the gamer type of person. Plus, she didn't really see the reason in getting stuff like a Nerv Gear of Amusphere.

"You're missing out." Kirito said before looking over back at Kaido, who seemed to be lounging around. "Do you think he might have an idea how to get out of here? Or someone from his crew has seen Naoya, maybe?"

"That's not a bad idea. We could try asking." Kazuya nodded.

"Kaido IS known for treating his people well...Yeah, let's go talk to him!" Atsuro decided. With that in mind, the group made its way over to the Daemon leader.

"Huh? Who are you guys?" Kaido questioned them.

The group introduced themselves. Kaido frowned when he heard Kirito's name, turning to the man. "Kirigaya? As in, Kazuto Kirigaya? Kirito, Black Swordsman, or whatever?"

Said Beater blinked, not expecting Kaido to know about him, but nodded. Kaido grinned a second later, extending his hand out to him. "Pleasure to meet ya, finally. You saved one of my boys back in that hellhole you call a game. I owe you one."

"R-really?" Kirito was surprised. He didn't expect that one of the Daemons was also a prisoner of SAO. "I-it's no problem, really. I was just trying to help everyone I could." He took the hand and shook it. The man had a strong grip.

"Either way, my crew and I are grateful for what you did. You sure got some balls to step up to the plate like that."

Kirito couldn't help but blush at the praise, scratching the back of his head nervously. "W-well, er, thanks..."

"By the way, Kaido." Kazuya interrupted. "Do you know if there are any exits past this lockdown?"

"If I did, I'da used it already. We're havin' trouble gettin' through the central ward." He glanced down in disappointment.

"I had a feeling you'd say that..." Atsuro sighed.

"Everyone's in the same boat here...If that's all, I'm gonna get going." He was about to turn to leave, but Kazuya stopped him for a moment.

"Do you know Naoya?"

"Huh? Naoya? Who's he?"

"He's Kazuya's cousin." Kirito answered. "We don't know where he is..."

"That so?" Kaido nodded. "Mind if I see a pic?"

Kazuya nodded, and showed him a picture of Naoya. "So, that's the guy, huh?" the older male said. "Sorry, but I've never seen him before."

"Oh, I see." The group deflated in disappointment.

"Send me the pic over IR." Kaido continued, snapping them out of their brief depression. Kazuya did as told. "Cool, got it. Alright, once the cells come back on, I'll spread it around my crew. Just because I never saw him, doesn't mean I can't look for him."

"Sweet, thanks!" Kirito grinned. Kazuya bowed formally. "Thank you very much."

"Hey, no need to be so formal man." Kaido grinned back. "Well, see ya."

With that, Kaido left.

"So, how did it go?" Suguha asked. "Were you able to see what the death clock said about Kaido?"

"It was 6."

"Six days? I-it was that short? Than means he has less than a week, right...!?" Yuzu questioned.

"Don't be ridiculous, it was just a coincidence. Six days is better than our time." Atsuro pointed out.

"Even still, that's pretty short." Suguha noted. "Say, Kazuto, what's the highest number out of everyone you see?"

"Well, I saw that none of the SDF soldiers had numbers on them, so their time left is longer than 9 days. But aside from Kaido, most people had 6 days left. Others had less." Kirito answered.

"How many people have six days?" Asuna asked, looking around the small crowd of people.

"It's hard to tell the exact number, but out of the entire crowd before us, a small percentage." Kirito spoke downcast. So few people had more days to live than everyone else. There were quite a few people whose Death Clocks read 0.

"That many, huh..." Kazuya frowned. "I say we keep an eye on the Death Clocks of the people we meet. Something about the number just... seems wrong." He felt his fists clench. "It's almost like a warning of something to come."

"You mean what Naoya was talking about?" Atsuro asked.

"Maybe."

"Damn right we do!" Atsuro chimed in agreement. "Okay, let's get going."

With that, the group left the scene.

Half an hour later, they received two new messages. Both of them were from Naoya.

"WHoa, crap!" Atsuro jumped. "Damn that scared me!"

"Huh? The first one is from Naoya. A New Function...?

The group peeked at Kazuya's COMP.

**SENDER: Naoya  
SUBJECT: New Function.**

How are you doing, Kazuya? I've written a new application for the COMP, so I'm sending it to you.

Once you read this email, the option for the Devil Auction should be available in the COMP menu.

You should be getting an email from the auction site, too.

You know about Macca, the currency of the Netherworld, right? You get it when you defeat demons. You need Macca to bid in the auctions. Money makes the Netherworld go 'round too.

Please Keep surviving. I look forward to seeing you again.

"Macca?" Atsuro frowned, looking over at the living AI. "The heck is that?"

"Macca is the digital currency used in the Demon Auction." Yui answered for them. "The Demon Auction is as it sounds, Atsuro-san. Demons become available to bidders, but in order to buy demons, Macca is required. The stronger the demon, the bigger the price. Macca is automatically gained alongside Magnetite."

"So basically, Demons selling themselves?" Kazuya summarized.

"In short, yes." Yui nodded.

"Well, one things for sure now." Kirito spoke with confidence. "Demons have been on this world for a long time. And some people have known about them."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Think about it." the Black Swordsman told them. "Contracts, legends... Every story has some bit of truth to it. Remember the story about the Wendigo? The Rakshasa? Hell, even something as obscure as a Lham Dearg? What if they were all true?"

"History is obscured and biased, with little truth remaining." Kazuya added. "With each narration, the truth continues to become muddled."

"Since when were you a Philosopher Kazuya?" Atsuro chuckled. "But you're right. The stuff of mythology must be derived from a true source, or event. But the actual recording of this information became less and less clear as time progressed, due to pieces of it being lost and filled in."

"So, if Demons exist..." Suguha tilted her head curiously. "Do you think Angels do as well?"

"I wouldn't disagree." Kirito shrugged. "Still, strong demons eh? We can put this to use."

"There's still that other e-mail Naoya mentioned, right?" Yuzu asked. "Let's give that a look before we forget."

The group nodded, and checked their inbox.

**FROM: DA Resitrar  
SUBJECT: Welcome!**

Welcome to the Devil Auction!

We are a member-based auction site that helps you with the bothersome tasks of forming contracts with demons.

Demons will make themselves available as merchandise to e bid upon by Devil Auction members. The winner will be able to make a contract with the demon and will have a powerful new ally.

Spend your wages of sin at the Devil Auction!

"...Is this a message, or an advertisement?" Kirito sweat-dropped.

"I'd say it's more towards the latter." Kazuya agreed.

"Yeah, no kididng." Atsuro chuckled. "What's next? Fusing demons?"

"Actually, there is a function that allows two demons to be merged together." Yui said. "However, the software program is still being adjusted. I doubt it will be ready anytime soon."

"Oh, well that answers THAT question." Suguha stated. "What's next? A function that lets us steal other skills?"

"Actually, there is a function that does exactly that called: Skill Crack. But it's not ready either."

"Whaaaat?" Yuzu whined. "Come on... Stupid software junk!"

"Calm down, Yuzu." Atsuro told the girl. "No use getting worked up. For now, let's wait till the software is finished, and get back into looking for Naoya and Agil."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Asuna remembered. "Finding them is our top priority. We still don't even know where Agil is."

"Well, with any luck, he should be nearby. What place do you think he would most likely be?"

"Why don't we roam around the North end?" Suguha suggested. "Agil always mentioned he frequented a friend's cafe. I think his name was Komiya."

"Komiya? Does he mean, Gin Komiya?" Yuzu asked alert.

"I'm not sure. But do you know this guy, Yuzu?"

"Yeah, definitely!" the girl nodded. "He's the manager and legal guardian for one of the idols I like! She's really famous in the Indie Scene!"

"Indie Scene..." Suguha's eyes widened. "Oh, no way! Do you mean Harusawa from D-Va's?!"

"Er, sorry." Atsuro raised a hand. "But, who's Harusawa?"

"What?!" Both Yuzu and Suguha yelled at Atsuro, who took refuge behind Kirito and Kazuya. "How could you NOT know Haru?!"

Kirito and Kazuya looked at Atsuro, both of them with looks of amusement and disbelief. "Really, Atsuro?" the blue-haired teen asked. "Really?"

"Hey, they like you guys! So why not?"

Kirito sighed, looking at Suguha and Yuzu. "So, who's Haru? If she's a member of a band, she's gotta be insanely popular."

"More than that." Yuzu replied. "She's a solo singer, and she's AWESOME!"

"Haru..." Asuna murmured. "Actually, I think I've heard of her before. I think Sinon introduced me to one of her songs. Um, what was it? Reset?"

"Ooh, that was her debut when she went solo!" Suguha said giddily. "She's really awesome!"

"Wait, you said she went solo?" Kazuya frowned. "So, what happened to D-Va?"

"Well, I don't really know too much about Haru's time in the band. I only know that the band broke up after the lead singer left to study music." Yuzu answered.

"And this Komiya guy is her manager, right?" Kirito asked, earning a nod from Yuzu. "Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go find this guy!"

"If I remember right, his cafe is somewhere at Shinjuku."

"Then let's go. With any luck, well be able to find Agil." with their destination set, the group made their way over to Shinjuku.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I see things are going well for you, Naoya."

The man in question looked behind him. It was a young man wearing a light gray suit and neck tie. His eyes and tone were full of mischief.

"Well, didn't really expect for you to show up here, Loki."

"What did you expect?" the gigolo chuckled in amusement, his shadow revealing an inhuman form with long hair and a pair of bat-like wings. "Your cousin and his friends have begun to make things interesting... especially that boy in black. What was his name again? Kirigaya? Hah, he's quite adept, having a living AI for a partner of all things." He turned back to Naoya. "I do believe you still owe me for that favor. Of course, had I known what exactly you wanted my help with, I would have doubled the price."

"Hmph."

"Looks like he's starting to awaken to it." Loki chuckled again, this time his tone growing dark. "It's only a matter of time before he fully starts to recall. I give it... two to three days, perhaps when facing Beldr."

"I know..." Naoya answered simply. "...But I know he is capable of defeating him. He is my cousin after all. Plus, he has some resourceful friends, like my students."

"Cousin?" Loki scoffed. "Hah! You can stop with the games Naoya...I know who he really is...After all, You wouldn't be so close to him if he wasn't really your-!"

The silver haired man whipped around, his red eyes set in a lethal glare. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence, Trickster."

Instantly, Loki brought up his hands. "Whoa, hey now! Calm down! It was a little joke, nothing more." he said with a grin. "You've always been so easy to rile up, Naoya."

Naoya continued to glare at the demon in the guise of a human with intensity before turning back around and resuming his work, his fingers flying over the keyboard at a rapid pace. "So, what is it you want?" he asked, his voice cold and harsh. "I doubt you just came here to start a conversation."

"It's in regards to Akihiko Kayaba's legacy." Naoya's fingers stopped. "And I think you know full well what I am talking about, as you were the one to help him design Sword Art Online in the first place."

His fingers stopped typing. He knew very well what Loki was referring to.

"...And why exactly are you after that?"

"Why wouldn't I want it?" Loki shrugged his shoulders. "With something like that, obtaining the Throne of Bel would be nothing but child's play. Although, I am curious." he leaned forward, hands at his sides with an amused smirk. "Why exactly did you tell the world that it was a 'Seed'?"

"...That is none of your concern, Loki. You know very well why it had to be deemed as such."

"Indeed I do." the man stated, leaning closer. "After all, just imagine what a demon could do with a 'Seed' that could bloom into a 'flower'."

In the next second, Loki found a pair of black tendrils aimed at his vitals. From behind, a pure black figure floated with a pair of demonic wings, bearing no face at all, sans the golden crown that sat atop it's head. The tendrils came from all over it's body, bearing no hands or feet, only stumps and sharp blades.

"The Vile Nylarathotep, huh?" Loki grinned. "We're not even near the day of judgment and already you've summoned a powerful demon. As expected of you... Cain."

"...You really shouldn't call me that now." The man snapped his fingers and the Vile Being wrapped a tentacle around Loki's neck. "You really shouldn't test my patience, Trickster."

Loki sighed, and grabbed the tentacle around his throat. With a bit of pressure, he was able to get some breathing room, and slowly began to pull it away from his neck. "Oh, fine, be that way." he pouted. "Well, I got what I wanted... Though, one more question."

"Make it quick." Naoya snapped impatiently.

"Kazuto Kirigaya... You do realize just what he holds, don't you?"

Naoya narrowed his eyes at the remark. Indeed, he was fully aware of what the black swordsman possessed. "...And if I do?"

For the first time, Naoya saw Loki without his trademark smirk or teasing grin. Everything that made him mischievous was gone, replaced with a deadly cold seriousness. "Then you should know what will happen if he dies, right?" he asked. "The King of Bel is but one of many events... It's the Days of Armageddon that will truly decide if humanity is a lost cause."

"...I know. If he dies...then Humanity and all life will surely fail the Administrator's trial. I will not let that happen."

"Oh, it isn't just that." Loki mocked with a leer. "If he dies, then the will of man's desire will be null and void, and the right to create a new world order invalid." A scowl settled on his face a second later. "And it isn't just that... If Kazuto Kirigaya dies, then you know what happens. He does, after all... possess something he should never have obtained in the first place."

"Of course I do, Loki. Do you really think I'm blind to all of that? Kazuto Kirigaya is vital to everything. If he dies, then all will be lost. And whose fault do you think that is?"

"Oh, don't go getting your panties in a twist." he turned sharply on his foot, wanting to make his leave. "I won't do anything... but I can't say anything about the Bels..."

Then, Loki turned Naoya, and the silver-haired man scowled upon seeing the familiar playful grin.

"...or the boss, for that matter. He does like interesting people, after all."

With that, he vanished as if he were never there in the first place.

"Annoying pest." Naoya muttered, returning to his work. Nylarathotep, seeing his task done, curled into a black ball, slowly breaking away into digitized pieces before delving into the nearby silver COMP, sitting atop Naoya's workplace. "I should have killed him when I had the chance. It would have saved me the trouble."

Sighing in frustration, Naoya let the matter go and continued to type rapidly. It wasn't just Kazuya that he was worried about, but Kazuto as well. If they fell...then Everything would be doomed.

This was partially because of Kayaba, though Naoya had no idea just how brilliant his old friend was at that time. Loki was right. If anyone knew the true nature of the World Seed, then it was certain that they would want to learn of it's location. In it's current state, it was inactive. Still growing, really. It was still learning about the world, about people's desires and hardships.

In the current situation, it was probable that the Seed would be ready to 'bloom' by the time Kazuya was ready to ascend to the Throne.

"I wonder, Kayaba Akihiko..." Naoya mused. "How is it that you could have managed to steal Polaris' Administrative Authority?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh, we've been walking forever..." Yuzu groaned, taking a moment to stop. "Can-can we take a break, please? Ugh, my poor feet..."

"Ano, are you okay, Yuzu-san?" Yui asked worriedly.

"You don't have to worry about Yoohoo, Yui-chan." Atsuro piped up. "She's just complaining that she's tired."

"Shut it, Atsuro. It's the truth!" She snapped.

"Maybe it would be best if we took a short break, after all, we have been moving nonstop for almost an hour."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day." Asuna sighed in relief, sitting down next to Asuna. "I'm tired too."

"I think we can all agree on that." Kazuya nodded. "I'm starting to understand the importance of transportation now. I rather miss the Bus already."

"I'd rather not think about losing the elevator and having to climb a building as tall as the Roppongi Hills..." Kirito shuddered at the thought.

"No kidding." Atsuro chuckled before noticing someone passing by. "Huh? Wait, is that...?"

The person in question was around their age group, having short brown hair and dressed in a simple yellow shirt with an overturned collar and brown slacks. Atop his nose was a pair of thin-rimmed glasses.

"Wait...is that Keisuke?!" The hat wearing teen stood up in surprise. Without waiting for a response, he made his way over to the passing boy.

"Hey, wait! Atsuro!" Kazuya and Yuzu followed him. The rest followed the trio.

"Keisuke!"

The brown-haired teen stopped abruptly, turning to see the group heading toward him. He looked as if he were about to bolt, but halted when he saw Atsuro. His eyes widened in recognition. "A-Atsuro?"

"Haha, it is you man!" Atsuro smiled brightly. "Man, what are the odds of that!"

His friends soon caught up to the two. "Wait, Atsuro, you know this guy?" Yuzu asked.

"Yep. We were friends back in Junior high."

"I think you mentioned him before." Kazuya recalled. "You said he was one of those kids who stood up against bullying, right?"

"Yep." Atsuro grinned. "I wouldn't really be here if it weren't for this guy."

Keisuke smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I-I wouldn't go that far." he admitted before noticing the rest of the group. "My name is Keisuke Takagi. It's nice to meet you."

"Same. My name is Kazuya Minegishi. A pleasure."

"I'm Yuzu Tanikawa. Nice to meet you." Yuzu smiled.

"My name is Kazuto Kirigaya, but most people just call me Kirito."

"I'm Asuna Yuuki. It's nice to meet you." Asuna bowed.

"I'm Suguha Kirigaya, Kazuto's sister. It's a pleasure."

"And I'm Yui!"

Keisuke seemed to recognize the name 'Kirito', a frown settling upon his face. "Kirito?" he asked. "You wouldn't happen to be the one who beat Sword Art Online, would you?"

"Guilty as charged." Kazuto sighed. "Seriously, does every teenage kid know who I am?"

"Well, you can't help fame." the glasses-wearing teen said. "Still, what a mess, huh?"

"No kidding." Atsuro nodded in agreement. "Bad enough trains aren't working, but cell phones too?"

"I agree...And without electricity...It's only a matter of time before everyone falls into Chaos." Kirito added. "I wouldn't be surprised if riots started happening over food shortages."

"Yeah." Keisuke nodded. "I want to hope that SDF will help us, but considering what's been going on..."

Yui tilted her head. "What do you mean by that, Takagi-san?" she asked.

"Think about it." Keisuke said. "There's been all of this weird stuff happening lately. Small riots, unknown causes of damage, even rumors of demonic creatures roaming about are happening all over Tokyo..." his face darkened, equal to the mood. "And so far, they haven't even launched a single investigation."

"...Now that you mention it...He's right." Kazuya realized. All looked to him.

"What do you mean?" Yuzu asked.

"Think about it. The SDF claim that they are launching investigations, but we haven't seen any of them beyond the barrier. If they really were launching an investigation...then where are they?"

"Exactly my point." Keisuke nodded. "Other than the barrier and quarantine zone, we haven't seen a single SDF soldier in the lockdown."

"That is odd..." Asuna crossed her arms over her chest. "Surely they have enough manpower to launch an investigation without losing some of the guards."

"That's what's troubling...It's almost as if..." Kirito through...before his eyes widened in alarm.

"What...what is it Kazuto...?"

"...It's almost as if...they are keeping us detained..."

The group became startled at this.

"B-but that's crazy!" Suguha cried. "Why would they keep us locked up like we're animals!"

"I don't know..." Kazuya shook his head. "But..." he lowered his voice, as Keisuke was still present. "It might have something to do with the demons, and the COMPS."

"Wait...you're saying the government may know about these COMPS that Naoya gave us?"

"And not just that...but the Demons as well?"

"Maybe." Kirito nodded. "But we don't know for sure."

"Is something wrong?" Keisuke asked, noticing the hushed whispers.

"No, it's nothing." Atsuro waved it off. "Still, it was great to see you man. How've you been?"

"I'm...doing fine..." Keisuke's eyes turned dark for a brief moment before going back to normal, it went unnoticed by all save for Kazuya. "What about you?"

"Eh, the usual." the computer geek grinned from ear to ear. "Been working my butt off in the tech department."

Keisuke smiled weakly. "You haven't changed." he said. "Um, can I... ask a question?"

"Yeah, sure. What's about?"

"That girl, er... Yui-chan, was it?" The girl nodded. "Where are your parents?"

At this, the group began to chuckle nervously while Asuna and Kirito's faces turned red, both of them scratching the back of their heads in embarrassment. Kirito had a feeling that this would become a frequent thing.

"Ano?" Yui tilted her head. "Papa and Momma are right here!" she gestured to the couple.

Keisuke spluttered, his glasses nearly falling off his face, staring at the two. "W-wait, huh? Wh-what?"

He gawked at the two. There was no way that the girl was their child...they looked way too young.

"Um...we can explain?" Asuna offered.

"Yui is, like, their adoptive daughter." Kazuya quickly stated. "We don't know who her birth parents are, and she's practically been raised by them, so to Yui-chan, they're like her birth parents.

"O-oh, I see..." Keisuke calmed hmself, chuckling slightly. "S-sorry for acting like, it's just... Hearing that is definitely going to give people the wrong idea."

"No kidding..." Kirito laughed nervously. "Well, it's been nice meeting you, Keisuke. Oh, by the way, do you know anyone by the name of Gin Komiya?"

Keisuke shook his head. "I don't know a Gin Komiya, but I know that a guy named Eiji Komiya runs a small-time bar down the street half a block away from here."

"Sweet. Thanks for the help." Atsuro smiled.

"No problem. But, why are you looking for Komiya-san?"

"We're going to ask if he's seen another friend of ours. With everything spiraling out of control, we wanted to see if he's safe."

"Ah, I see." Keisuke nodded. "Well, take care, you guys." The group nodded, and left. As he watched them leave, a sardonic look casted over his face, and a gloomy smile plastered with it. "Two days, huh?" he whispered sadly. "At least they've got more time than me."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Kirito, Akuma." Atsuro inquered as they made their way to the cafe. "Did you guys see Keisuke's Death Clock?"

Kazuya nodded. "It was 1."

"Wait, 1?! Are you sure?!"

"Yes."

"Then that means...he's going to die tomorrow!"

Kirito scowled. "Damn, everything's happening way too fast."

"Yeah." Suguha nodded. "First this thing that Naoya wants us to stop, then this thing with the SDF, and now Takagi-san's Death Clock... What in the world is happening?"

"I don't know, Sugu. Hell, I wish I knew."

They all stood silent, trying to ponder what could happen next. it was Asuna that snapped them all back to attention. "We shouldn't be so worried about it now. We have to find Agil first before that Laplace mail comes true."

"Yeah, got that right." Kirito nodded his head. "Komiya's place should be up ahead, right?"

"Yeah. It's not that far ahead."

So, what did you think of the latest chapter of if? Might have to change the title, as the ENG title was announced... I will be honest though, I very much prefer "if" over "Fates"

"Okay then." Atsuro nodded. "Let's go... Huh? What in the?"

"Something wrong, Atsuro-san?" Yui asked.

Kazuya was the first to see what his friend was looking at, and raised an eyebrow. "Is that... a girl in cosplay?"

The others followed their friends gaze. To their amazement, he was right. In their line of sight was a female wearing a pink outfit, glasses, and a ribbon in her long, blue hair. She seemed to be posing as a Magical Girl.

"Wait, hold on..." Asuna scrutinized the girl's outfit. "I think I've seen her before..."

Kirito raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

The girl seemed to notice the group watching her, and walked up to them. "Hey, you guys!"

"Oops." Atsuro cringed, wondering if she saw him staring at her clothes for too long. He still found it hard to believe that there was a girl in the middle of cosplaying, especially in times like this. Although, he had to agree with Asuna. The girl looked familiar for some reason.

"Were you guys watching me?" the girl asked a point blank.

Before anyone could form a response, Kazuya nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Not everyday you see a girl in a lockdown cosplaying."

"Heehee~ You like it?" the girl asked, doing a little whirl. "I was attending a convention!"

"Sugoi..." Yui looked at the girl with stars in her eyes. "Are you a Magical Girl?"

"Yep~" The girl's eyes were sparkling from the recognition. She spun around for dramatic effect. "Magical Dolly at your service!"

"You're really good." The little girl clapped.

"Wait, now I remember!" Atsuro realized.

"Remember what?" Kirito frowned. "Wait, do you know her?"

"Hell yeah I do!" the capped boy nodded fervently. "She's really freaking popular on the net!"

"Oh, are you a fan?" the girl asked with a smile. "Sorry, but I don't really give autographs~ Besides, it doesn't look like you guys have a pen or paper, huh?"

"How'd you guess?" Kazuya chuckled, offering his hand. "I'm Kazuya Minegeshi."

"Nice to meet you! My name is Midori Komaki! But you can call me Magical Dolly!" she grinned brightly.

"Sure. My name is Yuzu Tanikawa."

"I'm Suguha Kirigaya."

"My name is Asuna Yuuki. It's a pleasure to meet you Midori." Asuna bowed.

"I'm Kazuto Kirigaya, but most people just call me Kirito."

"And I'm Yui!"

"Atsuro Kihara. Man, I'm talking to Dolly of all people!" the boy grinned. "I can't wait to tell this back to the guys!"

"Wait a sec..." Midori frowned, looking at the black-haired teen. "Kirito? As in, the Hero of Sword Art Online, Kirito?"

Kirito chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah..." 'Seriously, does everyone in the lockdown seem to know me or something?' he wondered aloud before Midori suddenly grabbed his hand and began to shake it, stars shining in her eyes.

Literally.

"OmigoshomigoshOMIGOSH! You're seriously Kirito?! I'm a huge, HUGE fan of yours! You're a real-life hero!" Midori gushed.

"It's not really a big deal..." Kirito said sheepishly. "I mean, I'm not really a hero. And...thank you?"

"Oh, no way!" Midori shook her head violently. "You're one of my idols!"

"E-eh?"

"Hehe...Looks like you have a big fan, Kirito-kun." Asuna giggled.

"She really looks up to Papa." Yui grinned innocently.

Midori blinked, looking at Yui, then at Kirito, and then back at Yui. "She's... your daughter?"

"Er, well, that's kind of..."

"That's AWESOME!"

The group blinked. Once, twice, three times.

"...Huh?" was all Kirito could say.

"I mean, she's just so adorable!" Before the others could react, Midori scooped the little girl up in her arms and spun around, the teenager rubbing her cheek on the little one. "She's so cute, nice, and cuddly. You must be a lucky guy to have a little girl like her!"

Asuna and Kirito just stared at the girl while Yui enjoyed the attention, snuggling up against Midori.

"...Wow." Kazuya said, eyes wide in astonishment. "I think she's the first person to think that Yui-chan is really Kirito and Asuna's daughter."

"And probably the only one." Suguha said in agreement.

Once Midori put Yui down, she turned back to the group. "By the way, do you know where the train station is?" she asked. "I walked all the way here from Shinjuku."

"Unfortunately, the trains are out."

"Whaaaaaaat...?!" Midori's eyes widened in disbelief. "Really?"

"I'm afraid so. We were just there ourselves, and nothing was working." Kirito answered.

"Seriously?" the girl sighed in frustration. "Well, that's great..." A second later, she smiled. "In that case, just means I'll have to tough it out! It was nice meeting you guys! See ya!"

With that, she bounced away, leaving the group astounded by her quick change. "Man, she's something else..." Yuzu muttered.

"...You got that right." Kirito, Asuna, and Suguha replied simultaneously.

"I thought that she was really nice." Yui smiled.

"I can't believe I got to meet Dolly in Person!" Atsuro cheered.

"You can cheer about it later." Kazuya told his friend, his face a bit tense. "Dammit, everything is going way too damn fast."

"Yeah..." Kirito nodded in agreement.

"I don't get it..." Leafa frowned. "What's wrong, you guys?"

"It's Midori's Death Clock." Kazuya answered. "It was the same as Keisuke's. She's going to die tomorrow."

"What?! Seriously?! Why didn't you say anything?" Yuzu looked at him.

"What would I say? Sorry, but you are going to die tomorrow? She would think we were paranoid and insane. She wouldn't believe us!"

"Tomorrow...Both Keisuke and Midori are going to die...? Dammit!"

"Does anyone else think this is coincidence?" Kirito asked, looking at the group. "First, we've got the possibility of the SDF purposely locking us up to prevent the spread of demons, the highest number of days people generally have is 6, and Keisuke and Midori are going to die on the same day? Does this seem strange to anyone else?"

"Actually, now that you mention it..." Kazuya frowned in thought.

"You're right...All of this seems too weird to just be written off as purely coincidental. It's almost as if the government knows that something is going to happen in six days." Asuna agreed.

"How is that possible?" Yuzu asked. "I mean, how could they know about the demons showing up so suddenly? We didn't even find out about them until yesterday!"

Atsuro's eyes, at the mention of this, received a sort of spark. "That's it! That was what was bothering me!" he suddenly shouted in realization, earning confused looks from everyone.

"What do you mean, Atsuro?" Suguha asked.

"Don't you guys think its weird how they suddenly set up a barricade and a lockdown quarantine in one night?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it. It didn't seem possible that they were able to set all this up in such a short amount of time." Kirito added after thought.

"Exactly. If it were just a simple gas leak or explosion, then it wouldn't be this secure so quickly. I would say that they had this all planned."

"Then... that means..." Suguha's eyes widened. "The government knew about the demons?!"

"It isn't just that." Kazuya added. "If what we know is right, then demons have been around for a long time... And maybe we weren't the only ones to get the Demon Summoning Program. What if that application was also given to other altered COMPS? Remember how Amane fought with one, but didn't use demons? She was still able to use magical skills."

"So...would that mean that the Shomonkai also knew about the existence of demons as well?" Asuna asked.

"That seems to be a safe assumption; after all, we did see that Shomonkai member going after Wendigo, and Amane stepping in the fight."

Yuzu groaned in frustration. "Ugh, this doesn't make any sense at all!"

"Let's hope Naoya has the answers to this." Kirito said. "Now, come on. Komiya-san's cafe shouldn't be too far now."

With that, the group resumed their way.

Within a few moments, the group made it to Ikebukuro. In front of one of the buildings was a young man that Yuzu was quick to recognize.

"Hey guys! It's Gin!"

Gin was a young man with black hair stylized and slicked back, dressed in a gray vest with a buttoned shirt and a striped tie, complete with black slacks. At his chin was a black goatee.

He was currently smoking a cigarette when he noticed the group's presence. He recognized Yuzu, smiling slightly. "Oh, you're that girl from Haru's shows... Yuzu, right?"

"Yes. I'm Yuzu Tanikawa. I'm surprised you remember me, Gin!" Yuzu smiled, glad to know that he recognized her.

"Heh. A man in my line of work has to have a good memory for names and faces."

"Ahaha! Sounds like a tough job! Glad to see that you're doing well."

"Not as well as you think." Gin smiled. "Looks like you've got a lot of friends too."

"Oh, sorry. Feel free to introduce yourselves, guys." Yuzu turned to her friends.

"I'm Atsuro Kihara. Nice to meet you."

"My name is Asuna Yuuki. It's a pleasure." Asuna bowed.

"I'm Suguha Kirigaya."

"I'm Yui!"

"My name is Kirigaya Kazuto. but Most just call me Kirito. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Kazuya Minegishi. Yuzu's boyfriend." Kazuya greeted with a straight face.

Instantly, Yuzu's face became cherry red, her cheeks tinged. "W-what?!" she squeaked. "C-c'mon, Kazuya, th-that's not...!"

"Hah, take it nice and slow, Yuzu." Gin told the girl, chuckling. "Nice to meet you guys. The name's Eiji, but everyone just calls me Gin."

"Oh, so this is the guy Keisuke met." Atsuro realized. So Eiji and Gin were the same person.

"I run a bar over that way." Gin gestured to a building a few doors down then sighed. "I'm in a real fix. Everything from the ice to the fruits in the fridge are completely wiped out. Well, no sense crying over spilled milk. Just gotta wait for the power to come back."

"You kids should head on home too." he advised. "Your folks must be pretty worried."

"I wish we could." Kazuya sighed. "But the trains are locked down, hell the entire Yamanote circle is."

"Wait, you pulling my leg?" Gin asked, his face becoming serious. "Well, then again, I can't get any reception on my phone either."

"Wait, you can't get a signal either? That's the same issue we were having."

"Well, I'm sure everything will work itself out." the man said. "Well, I better get going."

"Oh, er, hold on a sec." Kirito stopped the man. "Do you know where Andrew is?"

"Andrew...you mean Andrew Gilbert Mills?"

"Yes. He's a friend of ours. We haven't been able to get a hold of him, and we were worried that he's been caught up in all this chaos."

"Ah, I see. Well, I saw him earlier this morning, but haven't seen him since."

"Seriously?" Asturo sighed. "Aw, dammit."

"If I know Andrew though," the man chuckled. "You'll probably find him near the theme park. Believe it or not, that's where him and his wife first met."

"Your kidding, right?" Kirito couldn't help but snicker. "First love? At a theme park?"

"Hey, Andrew's not your ordinary guy." Gin shrugged. "Well, take care of yourselves."

After saying Goodbye, Gin left in the direction of the bar.

"Well, at least we have a lead where Agil could be."

"Yeah." Kazuya agreed. "A theme park... could it be the one near Shibuya?"

"Probably. Let's head over there. Maybe we'll find Agil."

The group rushed to Shibuya, as the time for Agil's death was already close at hand.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Commander Fushimi. It's been a while."

The man being addressed was a tall male, well aged and attentive, dressed in a uniform different than the ones worn by the JSDF. He carried a gun over his shoulder, and his black hair was slicked back, a communication earpiece on the lobe of his left ear. Beside him was a woman with crimson hair and eyes, wearing a similar uniform except with fingerless gloves and a pistol on her thigh.

"Indeed it has," the man said in respect. "Almost a year, if I recall correctly, Mr. Hotsuin."

"That is correct." The one addressed replied. He was a young man, much younger than the speaker, being in his mid to late teens. His age was a shock to many, but his abilities settled any doubt in mind. He had messy, straight silver hair and sharp purple eyes. His attire consisted of a black heavy trench coat over a gray dress shirt and black tie, black baggy trousers, and black leather boots.

"So, what is the current situation?" the young man known as Yamato Hotsuin asked.

"I'm sure you're aware of the lockdown around Tokyo, correct?"

"Who isn't?" the young man scoffed. "Demons are currently running around the city, and then of course there's the fact that a demonic war for dominance is about to be waged there. It's rather strange how humans always seem to get mixed up in otherworldly affairs."

"On that, we agree." Fushimi nodded. "My squad and I will be departing for Tokyo in the morning."

"Ah, to collect information on the Shomonkai and Kuzuryu?"

"That is correct." Fushimi nodded.

"Commander." the red-haired woman said, being quiet through the conversation. "It's almost time."

"Right." He nodded. "Well, if you'll excuse me."

"One more thing, Fushimi." Yamato stopped the man momentarily. "Regarding the war that is about to be waged... You are aware that it's possible the Bel of the human world will become involved, right?"

"Really?" Both the women's and commander's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes. It's very possible that a human will take part in the war to obtain the power of Bel."

"I see..." Fushimi's face became serious. "We were told that the possibility existed... However, we can't guarantee this person will use that power for the correct reasons. When one is given power, how can one be sure they will use it correctly?"

"Indeed." Yamato chuckled. "Well, I wish you luck, Commander Fushimi."

"Farewell, Mr. Hotsuin."

Snapping a salute, the two walking away. As they did, the red-haired woman looked at her commanding officer. "Commander Fushimi... who was that just now?"

"That young man is Yamato Hostuin." Fushimi answered. "He's the head of a family who's had only one goal since the day they were founded: to protect Japan at all costs. Sixteen years old, and he's already the head of the JP's organization."

"A commander? One so young?" The woman spoke in both surprise and awe.

"That is correct. He is a rather gifted individual, mastering university level education at a young age. Of course, the same could be said for his sister." Fushimi added. "Although, the two have different views, so they don't get along very well."

"I see..." the woman nodded in understanding. "By the way, commander... you said his name was Hotsuin, correct?"

"That's right." he nodded. "The Hotsuin Family is by far the most prominent force in all of Japan. Having major influence in technological advances, medical fields, military operations... The amount of power they possess is almost mind-boggling. One could say they own all of Japan. In all my years, I've learned one thing, Lieutenant Izuna."

"And what is that, sir?"

Fushimi looked her straight in the eye and said, "Any who incur the wrath of the Hotsuin do not live to tell the tale."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Agil!"

The man in question turned to the source of the voice. He was a large, muscular man with dark skin, signifying his African heritage. He was bald, but possessed brown eyes and a brown goatee. He was dressed in a white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark slacks, and brown shoes.

He immediately recognized some of the people within the approaching group. "Kirito! Asuna, Suguha! Nice to see you!"

"Oh man...!" Atsuro smiled in relief. "Glad to see your okay, Agil!"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but, who are you guys?" he asked before noticing a small figure. His eyes widened. "H-hold up, is that Yui?!"

"Hello, Agil-san!" The raven haired girl bowed. The man was still in shock.

"Wha? But...How?!"

"Er... that's... kind of a long story." Kirito scratched the back of his head, unsure how to tell the man. "Never mind that, I'm glad your alright."

His eyes flicked over to the number above Agil's head. His heart sank when he saw it when they ran toward him.

'So, Agil really will die today...' he shook his head. 'No, we won't let that happen!'

"Alright? Of course I am. Well, as alright as I can be with all this chaos going on. Seriously...we can't even get out cuz the trains are down." Agil rubbed the back of his head. "But it's good to see all of you together. I'm still looking for Ryotaro, Rika, Keiko, Shino, and Kotone. Have you seen any of them?"

"No, not yet." Asuna shook her head. "Honestly, I hope none of them are caught up in this chaos."

"Yeah, good point." the man nodded. "So... who are these guys?"

"Oh, right." Kirito realized. "Except for Yuzu, you've never met them in real life."

"Atsuro Kihara, otherwise the known Gnome AT-LOW!" the capped boy grinned widely, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Kazuya Minegeshi, the Spriggan Akuma." Kazuya answered, nodding his head. "Nice to meet you RL, Agil-san."

"Wow, AT-LOW and Akuma! It's good to see you both as well. He slapped both of them in the shoulder, both teen stumbling a bit due to his strength.

"Y-yeah, you too." Atsuro grinned.

Yuzu then stepped forward. "I'm Yuzu Tanikawa. It's nice to meet you, Andrew."

"Nice to meet you too, little lady." Agil greeted with a grin. "So, you're the lucky lady Kazuya's been talking about." he looked at the blue-haired teen. "So, are the two of you an item?"

"W-what?!" Once again, Yuzu's face brightened into a brilliant shade of red. "W-why does everything think that?! I-I mean, sure, Kazuya is cool-N-no, w-wait, that isn't what I...!"

Atsuro couldn't help but laugh. "You're so cute when your flustered, Yoohoo!"

The girl whipped her head around, her expression set in an angry frown. Without speaking, she slammed her foot on top of his.

"OW!" Atsuro yelped, hopping up and down while nursing his injured foot.

"I told you...DON'T CALL ME YOOHOO!"

Agil chuckled, turning to Kazuya. "She's a wild one, isn't she?"

The teen smiled mysteriously. "I wouldn't have her any other way."

"Okay. That's enough!" Yuzu waved her arms, her face still bright red. "Can we please get back on topic?"

"Hai, hai..." Kirito chuckled. "Anyway, Agil, have you noticed anything weird lately?"

"Weird?" Agil raised an eyebrow. "You mean other than people running around in a tizzy or the army laying around on their asses?"

"Other than that, I mean." the black swordsman continued. "Like... how should put it... things that... aren't human, or animals?"

This seemed to spark recognition in Agil's eyes. "Hold up... Kirito-kun, you've seen those demon things too?"

"So you have. And to answer your question, yes, we have. We all first encountered them in Aoyama Cemetery last night."

"Wait, that was you?"

"Well, technically speaking, we didn't cause the explosion." Atsuro answered. "We found a demon called Wendigo causing trouble, and met this lady called Amane. She helped us get rid of him."

"That so?"

"Agil, how do you know about the demons?" Kirito asked, surprised. "Wait, hold on... do you have an altered COMP?"

"Yep." Agil nodded, removing something from his pocket. Sure enough, it was a COMP, colored forest green. "A customer left it behind. Tried to give it back to him, but he was already gone."

"A customer...?" Kazuya's eyes widened in realization. "Agil, by any chance, did this customer have silver hair, red eyes, and wearing a green and black techno pattern Yukata?"

"I think he did." he nodded. "Do you know the guy?"

"Hell yeah we do." Kirito said. "That was Kazuya's cousin, Naoya!"

"Really? You never told me you had a cousin, Akuma."

"Yep. And he's Kirito's and Atsuro's teacher."

Agil raised an eyebrow. "That a fact? Well, can I as how he managed to get his hands on a game console that summons demons?"

"We don't know the specifics, but Naoya was actually capable of programming these altered COMPs."

"Che, will if he knows about them," Agil scowled in disdain. "Then he should have given it to the military and tell them what the hell it was capable of."

"Well...whatever you do...please don't freak out."Asuna begged.

"Why would I freak out? After SAO and this craziness, I doubt anything else could shock me anymore." Agil shrugged.

"...those numbers indicate how many days people have left to live."

"I think they already know." Kirito said, earning a confused look from Agil. "Agil, you can see the numbers above people's heads, right?"

"Yeah. It confuses the hell out of me."

Agil blinked. He stared at the group for what seemed like an eternity.

A second.

A minute.

An hour.

A year.

The man shrugged his shoulders. "Once again, nothing really shocking me anymore these days." he said before looking up at his own number. "So, let me guess, I'm going to kick the bucket today, huh?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be that way." Atsuro spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there is a way to change our fate. For example, we were meant to die today too, but after defeating a powerful demon last night, we got two more days to live."

Agil's eyes widened at this. "Hold up, how many days did you have before you fought that demon?"

Kazuya replied bluntly, "One."

The man whistled. "Damn."

"And we'll be able to prevent your death to, Agil!" Kirito said, his face stern and determined. "We're not going to lose anyone from our party!"

"Hahahah, always treating life like a game, eh Kirito?" Agil grinned. "Then again, we never really did leave the game behind, did we?"

"I guess we didn't." Kirito chuckled. "But seriously. We're not going to let any of you guys die."

"So, when exactly am I supposed to die?" Agil asked curiously.

Before the group could answer, Yui suddenly became alert. "Everyone, demons are approaching!"

"What?!"

"Crap, now I remember! The Laplace mail! The demon horde was supposed to attack here!" Atsuro realized.

Just as the capped boy said, a large number of demons had appeared. Some of them appeared to be the same type of ones that they had contracted, except they saw a few new faces, one of them being a blue being carrying a pitchfork with hay strapped to it's back, and what appeared to be some sort of green ball covered in leaves.

Agil smirked. "Heh, well, we ain't getting any younger standing around here, and I don't fancy dying today." he said, opening his COMP. "What do you say, Gozuki?"

Appearing from the COMP was a minotaur of some kind, bearing the head of a bull, yet possessing the body of a man, and in his hand was a gigantic axe.

"Wait, Agil, you already made a contract with a demon?" Kirito asked.

"I guess I did. One moment this weird program downloaded itself into the COMP, and the next moment, this guy was attacking me."

"And then you gave me a damned suplex." the bull-headed demon snorted. "Never thought I'd see the day when I, Gozuki, a tormenter of Yami-sama, was defeated... You humans are crazy."

Kazuya smiled. "No, we're complex... but there really isn't much difference between them."

"Heh, ain't that the truth!" Atsuro laughed.

"Well, joking aside, let's go!" Kirito whipped out his COMP.

The group followed suit, summoning their respective demons. Kabuso appeared next to Atsuro, lounging on his side with his straw hat tipped to give him that 'cool' appearance he had heard about. Pixie sat on Yuzu's shoulder, lighting sparking around her hands. Kobold was on three of his four limbs, the free one holding his club and snarling next to Kazuya, who summoned his flames. Waira was behind Kirito, glaring out at the horde. Obariyon was hopping around, his fists raised as if to say 'bring it'. Lilim hung next to Asuna, a hand on her hip with lightning dancing around her free one. Gozuki growled, and gripped his axe in both hands. Yui brought forth her flaming blade, standing at the ready.

Without a moment's hesitation, the horde consisting of various creatures charged at the group. An opposing Kobold clashed weapons with Kazuya's. A small, aqua colored ghost creature blew a frigid wind at Atsuro's Demon.

"Whoa, cold, nya!" Kabuso yelped as he leaped away from the frigid wind. Once it collided with the ground, a small patch of ice formed. "Stupid Poltergeists and their stupid Bufu!"

Pixie and Lilim worked together, dancing around a green-skinned monster with shaggy black hair and a yellow wrestling suit, a bag of human limbs at it's hip with a necklace of skulls around it's neck. In its hand was a giant butcher knife. It fruitlessly tried to strike the small demon, but the winged vixen barreled down at it, slamming her feet into the back of it's head, slamming it to the ground. Lilim jumped back to avoid a strike from a Kobold before she and the Fairy tyke unleashed a fury of storms upon them.

The opposing beast fell in a heap, occasionally twitching from the high voltage of electricity before breaking down into particles.

Waira quickly moved through an approaching line of Demons, using its sharp claws to bisect any within range. Kirito followed his partner dealing heavy, consecutive blows with Multi-Hit.

Kazuya backed up his Kobold by throwing fire balls at any demon that tried to get near its fight.

Atsuro shocked any opponent that got near Kabuso and him before his partner let loose with flames of it's own, scorching them to bits. Suguha decimated whoever got in range with her wind, allowing her Obairyon to sucker punch any dazed demons that came up as a result, giving them a one-two punch that destroyed them easily. Asuna freezed the enemy solid, and when Lilim returned to her side, immobilized her opponents while her vixen of a partner completely destroyed the stationary targets.

Agil showed experience in combat against demons as well. Whenever a Kobold or one of those demons with the pitchforks tried to attack him, he either gave them a punch and grabbed a hold of them, tossing them off to the side and leaving them open to Gozuki's axe.

Yui was surrounded by six more demons. However, the little girl was unperturbed. The moment that all started to move, she swung her flaming blade around her, cutting all of them down.

The demons were all reduced to mere ashes, dissipating into particles. Agil whistled. "Damn..." he said in awe, grinning. "I see who she takes after. You sure she isn't your birth girl, Kirito-kun?"

The Beater blushed, but returned to his focus as a Poltergeist came up behind him, launching a Bufu. "Not the time, Agil!" he told his friend before rushing forward and delivering a multi-hit.

"Man, can't ya take a joke?" Agil questioned as he pounded a Kobold in the face without looking. He then spun around, grabbed the little bush creature, and pile-drove it into the ground.

"Zio!" Asuna blasted the hulking green creature with a bolt of lightning before Lilim came up from behind and zapped it again.

Kazuya's Kobold proceeded to whack the smaller creatured like the bush and Poltergeists like a game of Whack-A-Mole.

"How many of these things are there?!" Atsuro frowned. "I know the e-mail said horde, but this is ridiculous!"

"There are only ten more demons left!" Yui announced as she cut down one of the Poltergeists. "Make that nine!"

"Then let's take 'em down! Bufu!" With a snap of his fingers, Kirito killed another Demon by trapping it in a block of ice before it shattered. His Waira slicing apart another with a Zan spell.

"Atsuro and Akuma 1!" the capped by grinned as he and the blue-haired teen and their demons unleashed an all-out attack upon an Ogre and a Kobold, utterly destroying them with no chance of recovery. "Demons nothing!"

"Don't leave us girls out of this!" Asuna hollered as she, Suguha, and Yuzu unleashed a Bufu, Zan, and Zio spell simultaneously, decimating an opposing Obariyon, Poltergeist, and Bush creature with ease.

"Seven down..." Agil grinned evilly as he put an Ogre into a choke-hold, his burly arm wrapped around its neck. Even from their positions, they could hear the demon choking on its spit and its neck creaking before it finally snapped. It disappeared into red particles. "Three to go."

Gozuki moved behind another Kobold and brought its axe down upon it. The Lupine creature didn't have time to cry out as its head was split apart. "Make it two."

Obaryion, Pixie, and Lilim circled the two remaining Demons.

The Kobold gulped, while the Poltergeist raised up it's stubby arms. "...We give up?"

The response was Obaryon, Pixie, and Lilim unleashing complete and utter electricity upon them.

"It was worth a shot...!" The little blue ghost cried out its last words as they were vaporized.

The battle was finally over. The Demon horde had been defeated, and Agil's death had been averted.

Once all the demons were dismissed, they regrouped with Agil. The man had a giant smirk. "Heh, just like the old days."

The group smiled with him when they saw his number increase from zero to two.

"Nice. We changed fate again! Agil, as of now, you are NOT going to be knocking on heaven's door anytime soon." Atsuro cheered.

"That's a relief. My wife would be pissed if I kicked the bucket now!"

"Damn right she would." Kirito chuckled. "Anyways, I'm glad we saved you... But, what on Earth were you doing here, Agil?"

At this, the man shrugged his shoulders. "I was looking for a friend of mine. He said his cafe was on the fritz."

"A Friend? Who are you looking for in a place like this?" Yuzu asked.

"An old buddy of mine from the old days, back before I met the woman who became my wife." he replied with a shrug. "His name was Takeuda. He said he'd be around here, but it looks like I wasn't able to find him."

Kirito's face darkened. "Do you think... he got eaten by demons?"

"Doubt it." Agil snorted. "That damn bastard runs faster than a cheetah. Wanna know how I know this? He had two girlfriends... and he dated both of them at the same time."

"Ouch!" Kazuya, Kirito, and Atsuro flinched.

"What a flake." Asuna, Suguha, and Yuzu frowned.

"That's not nice." Yui frowned as well.

"Well, can't say I blame him. If there is one thing men should truly fear in this world, it's the wrath of a woman." Agil said. "The wrath of one woman is terrifying enough to make you run for the hills, but two's enough to make you flee the country. However, there's something more terrifying than even that."

"And what's that?" Yui asked curiously.

Agil smiled. "The wrath of a wife... Especially my wife. You do NOT want to see her when she gets mad. I remember the time when a customer tried to sue us and raise a public scandal, trying to milk money out of us. Take a guess what happened."

"Hm...She scared the shit out of him and made him want to crawl under a rock for the rest of his life?" Kazuya guessed.

"Nope, guess again."

"Beat the shit out of him until he was nothing but a bloody mess?" Kirito offered.

"Getting warmer."

"Ne, Mama?" Yui looked up at Asuna, who had her hands clasped over the girl's ears. "What are they talking about?"

"You're better off not knowing." she said sweetly before glaring at the boys. "Good grief, why do they have to use vulgar language with Yui-chan around?"

"No kidding." Yuzu humphed, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. "Seriously!"

"Huh..." Atsuro dipped his head in thought, arms crossed over his chest before he had the 'EUREKA!' look on his face. "Aha! She brought out a chainsaw and threatened to chop him up into pieces before beating the crap out of him when he didn't get out of the cafe fast enough!"

"Ding! Ding! Ding!" Agil grinned. "You got it right, AT-LOW."

"Really? Nice!" He pumped a fist in the air.

"S-seriously?" Yuzu paled. "Remind me to never make your wife mad, Agil-san."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Takes a lot to piss her off, and that is saying something." Agil chuckled. "Anyway, enough about me. What about you? What's been going on?"

"That's..." Kirito fumbled. "One hell of a long story."

"Hey, we got time."

Kazuya nodded, and started at the beginning.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I see..." the burly man nodded his head. "So, you're cousin gave you these COMPS in hopes that you would be able to stop something... And whatever this something is might happen in six days, if what the Death Clock reads is true, and that the SDF might have something to do with it, since almost none of them have any Death Clocks on them in the first place."

"That's right." Kirito nodded. "But, we've got no idea what it is that Naoya wants us to stop, or if the SDF really is involved."

"Well...one's things for sure..." Agil took a deep breath before sighing. "...We're going to have to deal with something big again. Probably SAO big."

"Ain't that the truth." Kirito agreed.

"Bright side is, you don't have to deal with the crap that happened in Aincrad." Atsuro said. "Though, I'm going to be honest here... despite that whole death game thing, I really would have liked to be apart of that. I mean, sure, there was the fear of death and all, but the adventure makes it seem worth it, especially the Hollow Area! ...Actually, Kirito, you mentioned another Mental Health Program besides Yui, right?"

"Yeah..." Kirito paused. "...She helped us a lot throughout our journey...and became one of our close friends...until she..."

"Strea..."

"What exactly happened to her?" Atsuro pressed on.

Kirito grit his teeth in rage upon recalling the grim memory. Already knowing what he was going to say next, Asuna covered Yui's ears once more. "...It was that Son of a Bitch Sugou's fault...!" He growled in rage. Kazuya, Atsuro, and Yuzu never saw this level of demonic fury on the Black Swordsman's face, and that frightened them. "...He paralyzed all of us and was planning to kill me slowly with a weapon he only got from that damn super account of his! It was a sword that will make any opponent's HP become 0 after one strike, slowly, but surely." His eyes were clouded in anger and his breathing became akin with that of a beast's from remembering the bastard's sheer stupidity! "But... Strea got in the way before he could stab me with it. It was then...that she revealed that she really was an AI."

"A Mental Health program, just like Yui." Kazuya recalled. "But, if his weapon could make a player's HP into zero, how did she survive?"

"She became absorbed by Heathcliff's Game Master Avatar, which halted the process." Suguha stated. "On the Floor 100, she went berserk, but we managed to stop her."

"But..." Kirito's fists became tightly curled into a ball. He thought they would bleed from how much pressure was being applied. "The Cardinal System regarded her as an error, just like how it did with Yui in the beginning, so her data was becoming deleted."

"And thanks to Yui-chan, we managed to prevent it." Asuna elaborated. "So, technically speaking, Strea is still with is... inside of Yui."

"Inside?" Yuzu raised an eyebrow. "What did she do? Take Strea into herself?"

"That's one way of putting it." Kirito answered, now a tad calmer. She did like what I did with Yui, she saved and recorded all of Strea's Data into a data file in the form of an in-game item, but in this case, she stored the data file into her own programming."

I think so. Been a while since I beat Hollow Fragment.

"I see..." Atsuro nodded before frowning. "But... that's odd."

"What do you mean, Atsuro?" Yuzu asked. Her question went ignored as Atsuro looked over at Yui, who's ears were now free.

"Yui-chan, do you know if Strea's data is still there?"

"Atsuro?" Kazuya frowned. "What are you thinking?"

"Just a theory."

Yui closed her eyes for a brief moment. A few seconds passed before she opened them again, her expression filled with shock.

"Strea's data... It's... it's gone...!"

"Wh-what?!" Kirito looked to his daughter in shock. Strea's data...gone?! How?!

"A-are you sure, Yui-chan?" Asuna asked nervously. She was hoping that she just glanced over it. But she had a gut feeling her hopes would be dashed.

"Y-yes...Strea-neechan's data...it's gone!"

"H-how is that possible?!" Yuzu cried out. "I mean, Yui should have it, shouldn't she?!"

"No, not necessarily." Atsuro spoke up. "Strea's data was corrupted after she was absorbed by the Game Master Avatar, right?"

"Y-yeah..." Kirito answered, still shaken up. "B-but, what does that have to do with anything?"

Kazuya was the first to figure it out. "Naoya."

"Bingo." the tech genius snapped his fingers.

"So you're saying that Naoya removed Streas data from Yui when he was uploading her programming into that memory card?" Asuna asked.

"Yes. And it's very likely that he still has her."

"But why?"

"Who knows?" Atsuro shrugged. "Maybe cleaning her data? Doing what he did with Yui? It's just another question added to the list."

Kirito gritted his teeth. 'Damn it, Naoya, what in the hell are you up to?'

The raven haired teen knew that the man was enigmatic, but he was honest to them. So why was he purposely avoiding them? What was his role in all of this? It made no sense!

"Well, standing around and thinking about it isn't getting us anywhere." Kazuya spoke. "We just have to go look for him."

"Yeah." the capped boy nodded in agreement before realizing. "But, before that... We need to charge our COMPS!"

"Oh, that's right." Kirito opened the screen on his device and looked at it. It was below 20% now. "Dammit. After one day, the battery is this low?"

"Yeah...but how are we going to charge these? There's still a blackout, remember?" Suguha reminded.

"That isn't a problem." Agil told them. The group stared at him in confusion. "There's a small store near the Kadogawa district. They should still be selling those hand-portable chargers."

"No fooling?!" Kazuya's eyes widened before Kirito grinned. "What are we waiting for then?! Let's go!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the group left the amusement park for their new destination...but none of them noticed the shadow observing them carefully.

"Looks like they're doing well." the shadow muttered with a sly grin on their face. "And I see that Naoya's dear 'cousin' is growing in strength as well. Now...it's only a matter of time...before he steps up to claim the throne..."

The shadow cackled as it vanished, as if it were never there in the first place.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Keisuke?!"

When they arrived at their destination, they saw Keisuke Takagi walked about, looking idle as he passed on through the streets, only to stop when Atsuro called out to him.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Atsuro." the boy greeted, his expression remaining calm.

"What are you doing here?"

"T-that is..."

Kazuya was the first to notice his hesitance, and found the source. He was holding a charger in his hand. That was when everything suddenly clicked into place in his mind. Keisuke's nervousness when he encountered the group, the slight relief in his eyes when he looked at their heads...

"You have a COMP."

The group looked bewildered at this. Keisuke's eyes widened at first, perhaps about to protest, but then a sigh of defeat escaped him. "...You're quite perceptive, Minegeshi-san."

"So I've been told. But let me ask you, why do you have an altered COMP?"

Keisuke was quiet, he felt like he should've made an excuse as to why...but ultimately decided to tell the truth. "...I was given this COMP by someone. I didn't know who he was, but he just walked up to me and handed me this." he held out his COMP.

Keisuke's Communication Player was a dark blue color, the same model as the ones used by the group. "Someone just gave this to you?" Kirito asked, taking the COMP and examining it.

Keisuke nodded. "He didn't say much, other than that I would 'need it in the days to come'. I didn't learn his name."

"You know...I have this funny feeling that it's Naoya." Suguha commented.

"Well, you may not be far off, but we don't know for sure."

"Do you know where we can find that charger?" Kazuya asked, pointing to said item in the boy's hand.

"If you were here a few moments ago, you would've found a lot of them in that store over there." Keisuke pointed behind them. "But the one I'm holding now is one of the few left."

"What? That many already?"

Keisuke nodded. "I think there should be enough for you all." He turned around. "I'll show you where it is."

"Thanks, Keisuke. You just about saved our skins." Atsuro smiled in thanks.

"Don't mention it." He led the group to the electronics store. Inside they found about eight hand-portable chargers.

"Whew, we're in luck!" Suguha breathed a sigh of relief. "We owe you, Takagi-san!"

"As I said, don't mention it." Keisuke had a small smile of relief on his face. "Well, I should be going now. See you guys." He tried to turn and leave, but Atsuro stopped him.

"Wait, Keisuke." The capped teen looked him in the eye with a serious expression. "...Why didn't you tell us your Death Clock was 1?"

Keisuke didn't reply.

"Keisuke...!" Atsuro pressed, trying to get an answer from his friend.

"...Does it really matter?" the brown-haired teen finally answered. "Everyone in the lockdown will die in six days. My time just came a bit earlier is all." He looked at the group. "And shouldn't you be more worried about yourselves? You only have the day after tomorrow before..."

"Keisuke." Kazuya cut him off. "Have you given up on living?"

The question caught him off guard. The blue-haired Survivor continued before he could form an answer.

"Or do you want to continue wallowing around in self-pity and die like a coward?"

"I...I...!" The spectacled teen tried to make his answer.

"...The Keisuke I know wouldn't be the type of person to give up." Atsuro stated.

"...I'm sorry." That was the last thing they heard from him as he suddenly whirled around, and took off in a sprint. "Keisuke!" Atsuro shouted, about to give chase when Kazuya grabbed his arm.

"Let him go, Atsuro."

"But-!"

"He needs to figure things out for himself."

"Well, yeah but..."

"He'll make his decision. Have faith in him." The blue haired teen nodded.

"I...I guess you're right..."

"Still, I've got to say, Akuma." Agil looked at the boy with a bit of surprise. "That was pretty harsh, what you told the kid back there."

"It's what needed to be done. Sometimes, sugarcoating things doesn't help. You have to be honest."

"There is being honest, and then there is that."

"...The world is cruel and reality is harsh. There is no use trying to sugarcoat things, and it would just mislead people. Sometimes, just stating the truth, no matter how harsh and ugly, can help people in accepting them. All of this I learned from Naoya."

"Damn..." Kirito whistled. "That's harsh, dude."

Kazuya shrugged. "Just means I've been hanging around him for too long. I don't really consider him a cousin, it's more like... he's a brother to me."

"Wow, you two must really be close." Asuna commented.

Akuma smiled. "I've lived with him for nearly all of my life. Naoya's parents died a long time ago, and he's been living with my parents ever since. He moved out when I entered the 8th Grade."

"Wow, so you two really are like brothers!"

Kazuya smiled at this.

'...Big brother!'

'Yes ...el...?'

"Grgh!" Kazuya cringed as a sharp, but quick pain erupted behind his eyes. His friends turned to him.

"You okay, Kazuya?" Atsuro asked.

"Huh? Y-yeah, I'm fine..."

"You sure?" Yuzu asked in worry. "You looked to be in pain there for a second."

"D-don't worry, I'm fine." Kazuya waved it off, but even still, he found himself questioning what he heard. That voice... it sounded like Naoya, but... it sounded so different.

He tried to brush it off, but he just couldn't. It was as if it was a memory long forgotten, and he just couldn't remember.

"That name... I think I heard... bell... No, that wasn't it..." he muttered under his breath before shaking his head. "Whatever, I can think about it later."

"Something up?" Atsuro asked.

"No, nothing. Anyway, what should we do from here on? Go back to gathering information?"

"That seems to be the best option we have. We don't know what's gonna happen in the coming days. It's best we were prepared for them." Kirito said.

"It also wouldn't hurt to look for the others." Agil added.

"Then let's go!" Yui cheered, and the group left on their way.

XXXXXXXXXX

Shiba Park was packed.

There were people of various ages crowding around the grounds. Infant, child, teenager, young adult, middle aged, elderly, you name it. There were so many people it would be difficult to pick out a single person from the crowd.

"Man...! There are so many people here!"

"Looks like the park's become a shelter." Kazuya said, still reeling from the sheer amount of people. "No real surprise, considering how close it is to Tokyo Tower. It's easy to find, and a well-known meeting place."

"Yeah." Agil nodded before he spotted a familiar sight. "Hold up, is that who I think it is?"

The group noticed a girl standing off to the side. She was young with black hair, one of the bangs bundled up and longer than the others, wearing a small green jacket that reached only to her ribs and above her elbows, a light blue blouse underneath with a denim skirt and dark brown leather boots.

"It's... Sinon?!"

"Who?" Yuzu asked.

"Sinon. Or in RL, Shino Asada. She's a good friend of ours that we met a few months ago. She is part of our group in ALO and sometimes, GGO."

"Hey, Sinon!" Asuna waved to the girl.

The girl blinked, looking off to the left and noticed them. "Oh, Kirito-kun... Whoa." her eyes widened when she noticed the number of the group. "So many people..."

"Hey, Sinon!" Kirito greeted. Atsuro, Yuzu, and Kazuya stepped up from behind.

"So, what's going on?" the girl asked blandly. "Are you starting your own gang or something?"

"What? No, no way." the Beater shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "We're just walking together, a lot safer that way."

"Huh, I see... So, who are those three?"

Kirito introduced the three to her. "This is Kazuya Minegeshi, also called Akuma. The guy with the computer is Atsuro Kihara, or AT-LOW, and this is Yuzu Tanikawa."

"Also called Yoohoo!" Atsuro suddenly shouted, earning a glare from Atsuro, her face clearly showing that she was irritated.

"Dam it, Atsuro, that isn't my-"

"Ohayo, Yoohoo-chichi." Sinon smiled.

"Wha-what?!" Yuzu sputtered. "Dammit, Atsuro! Now you have someone else using it!"

"Aha! Now it's really catching on!" Atsuro laughed.

"What? I think it sounds cute." Shino shrugged her shoulders. "It really suits you." She smiled at the group. "Shido Asada."

"It's nice to meet you." Kazuya held out his hand. Shino took it. It was at that moment that she noticed a familiar figure hugging Asuna.

"...Either I am hallucinating, or that is Yui in the real world."

"Ohayo, Sinon-san!"

The little girl chirped happily, oblivious to her shock.

"...It's a long story." Kirito scratched the back of his head.

"Well, we have time. Explain."

"Well, before we get started... Do you have a game system, like a COMP?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." She pulled out said device from her jacket pocket. It was the same model as the ones Kazuya and the others use, except hers is a camouflage green color. "Although, it was pretty weird on how I got this."

"Let me guess, did a stranger walk up to you and give it to you?"

"Yeah. Some guy with silver hair and red eyes. He said I'd need it."

"Yeah, that's Naoya alright." Atsuro nodded.

"Naoya?"

"My cousin. We're trying to look for him in this chaos. We wanted to ask him more about these COMPs and what's going on." Kazuya answered.

"Huh." Sinon nodded her head. "So, what about Yui being here?"

"That's also Naoya's doing." Kirito explained. "He's my and Atsuro's teacher when it comes to computer programming and stuff along those lines. Before this madness happened, he gave me a data chip to use with my COMP. After the data was downloaded, Yui somehow appeared in the real world."

Shino's eyes widened at this. "How... On second thought, never mind. I don't wanna know. Whatever is going on is because of this guy, right?"

"More or less." Yuzu nodded. "Naoya wants us to try and stop whatever is gonna happen. We're trying to find him so he can give us some answers."

"Any luck so far?"

"Nope. We only learned from Agil that he handed him a COMP as well, but left right after. We were trying to see if anyone else had seen him." Kazuya said.

"Sorry then." she apologized. "I haven't seen him since he gave me this."

"It's alright." Suguha said. "Speaking of which, would you like to join us? We may be able to find him with more people in our group."

"Eh, sure, why not?" Sinon smiled. "It would be just like the old days. Shame I don't have my bow with me."

"Maybe...but these COMPs can do some pretty amazing things."

"Speaking of that, did you already make a contract with a demon, Sinon?" Asuna asked. Sinon nodded. "What did you get?"

"A parrot-riding pervert with a bow named Kama." the archer frowned in disapproval. "He has some kind of belly-button fetish."

"…Really...?" Everyone was disturbed.

"Yeah." Shino nodded. "If he gets annoying, you can kill him."

"Ouch, he's that bad."

"Let me put it to you this way, AT-LOW. I was half-tempted to see whether or not SAO servers were still on and if a Nerve Gear could fit on his head."

"Ouch...! You plan on frying his brain?!"

"Yep."

"Well, vicious torture and punishment methods aside, have you seen the others? Lisbeth, Silica, Klein, Philia, any of them?" Asuna asked.

"Silica and Lisbeth are outside the Lockdown, thankfully." Shino said. "We planned to meet up, but something came up."

"Whew...!" Kirito breathed a sigh of relief. "At least we don't have to worry about them! I really didn't want Silica to be caught up in this!"

Agil chuckled. "Amen."

"So, what about Philia and Klein?" Atsuro asked. "Do you know about them?"

"The idiot is over there, actually." Shino said, stabbing a thumb over her shoulder. A young man with hair swept back with a red bandana around his head, dressed in what appeared to be work attire, a shirt rolled up to the elbows with a tie, and black slacks, was talking to an SDF soldier. "He's trying to know if Philia is caught up too."

"Hopefully she isn't. It would be preferable if she didn't have to deal with this madness as well." Suguha commented.

"Knowing her, though, she'd probably be interested in it." Kirito shrugged his shoulders. "This is Philia we're talking about."

"...Yeah, that's true." Asuna agreed after thinking about it.

"Oi, Sinon!" the familiar voice of Klein shouted as he ran over to the glasses-wearing girl. "The guy said he couldn't find anyone matching Philia's features-Whoa, Kirito-kun?!"

"Hey Klein." The teen in black waved

"Damn, are you a sight for sore eyes!" Klein smiled widely. "Eh? Even Asuna and Leafa are here too! And Agil! And Yui!"

The male blinked.

"...Wait, Yui? What? Huh?!"

"It's a long story, Klein." Kirito patted him on the shoulder. "We'll fill you in later."

"Ooookaaaaay...?" Klein frowned, wanting to know whether or not that really was Yui clinging to Asuna. "Anyway, glad to see you guys are safe."

"You too." Asuna nodded. "So, what did that man with the SDF say about Philia? Sinon already filled us in."

The young man sighed heavily, scratching his neck. "Sorry, but no dice. Guy said he didn't recognize anyone matching her description. I can kind of get why, with so many people..."

"Not necessarily." Sinon shook her head. "You guys all got your COMPS from this Naoya guy, right?"

"Yeah." Kirito nodded.

"And Agil too, huh?"

"Yep." said bartender nodded as well. "Guy came in and left it on the table."

"Me and Klein got our COMPS from him too." Sinon informed them, much to the group's shock, looking at the Salamander-Avatar player.

"Wait, you got a COMP too Klein?!"

"Yep." The Samurai held up a bright red COMP. "It was weird how this random stranger walked right up to us and gave this to us."

"So if we all got our COMPs from Naoya, there is a chance that Philia already met with him?"

"Probably." Sinon nodded. "He knew whatever is about to happen would probably need us for the job. Hell, maybe those involved with clearing SAO were given one, who knows?"

"Maybe." Kirito shrugged. "We should probably start looking for Philia ourselves. The more of us together, the better."

"Yeah." Asuna nodded. That was when she noticed a group of people gathered around off quite a ways, speaking about to anyone that was willing to lend an ear. "Wait, aren't those people...?"

"The Shomonkai?" Kazuya and the rest looked on as well. Sure enough, it was the same group in Orange Robes they have seen prior to the Lockdown. The Blue haired teen's eyes were drawn toward the front of the group. A middle aged man with purple hair was standing atop a podium, speaking to the crowd. Next to him on the ground were a few more members and a familiar girl.

"Hey, isn't that Amane?" Yuzu pointed at the girl.

True enough, it was the girl they had met from last night. It was impossible to not recognize her, due to the unique flower that sat atop her head like an ornament, and the fact that she was the only one without her hood on.

"Eh?" Klein immediately became interested. "You know her, Kirito-kun?"

"Yeah." Kirito nodded. "She helped us out last night. Her name is Amane Kuzuryu."

"Kuzuryu, eh..." Klein chuckled. "Seems like you attract more and more girls, you lucky dog."

"Oh, please." the Black Swordsman rolled his eyes. "You and I both know it isn't my fault. I'm the sort of guy who can't help it if a girl is in danger. That's usually how I get into trouble with Asuna, Liz, and the others." That was when he cracked a grin. "Besides, she looks more like Akuma's type."

For once, the blue-haired teen spluttered, a tinge of pink in his cheeks. "Wha-?!"

"Oh wow! Never thought I'd see you lose your cool like that, Akuma!" Atsuro laughed.

"Yeah! He's usually stoic, but I think we just broke that persona!" Kirito laughed with him.

"D-dammit, Kirito-san!" Kazuya scowled, his blush growing fiercer by the second. "A-Amane isn't my... W-well, I don't...! Gah, dammit all! You suck!"

This only further caused the two to laugh while Agil and the girls looked vastly amused. Yui was wondering what was causing Kazuya to become so flustered while Yuzu started to panic.

"Ano, Mama..." Yui looked up to a giggling Asuna.

"Yes, Yui?"

"What's wrong with Kazuya-san? Data shows that his heart rate and body temperature just spiked. As well as an increased production of hormones and pheromones."

"Oh, that?" Asuna continued to giggle. "Let's just say... it's a boy thing."

The group had not noticed Amane's presence approaching them. "Ah, we meet again." she greeted the group, causing the laughter to cease. "And it appears your band has grown quite a bit since the last time we spoke as well."

"Yeah, we managed to find more of our friends. Although, we're still looking for one more." Kirito responded. "By any chance, have you seen a girl about our age with short, light brown hair?"

"A girl with brown hair?" Amane tilted her heard before shaking it. "I am afraid not. Perhaps if I could learn her name."

"Her name is Kotone." Suguha answered.

"Kotone... I see." Amane nodded. "I shall inform you if I meet this girl. Pardon me for not introducing myself to the others." Amane bowed formally. "I am Amane Kuzuryu, Maiden of the Shomonkai. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"And you as well." Shino bowed. Agil and Klein followed suit.

"Shino Asada."

"Andrew, but just call me Agil."

"Ryotaro Tsuboi, but everyone just calls me Klein! You can do the same!"

Amane nodded. "Klein, Agil, and Asada... I shall remember those names."

"So what are you and the Shomonkai doing here, Amane?" Yuzu asked.

"Our founder is spreading word of our group's ideals and actions."

"So, basically, trying to get new recruits?" Klein asked, his hands in his pockets. "Don't you think that's kind of, ya know, inconsiderate? I mean, why are you guys trying to gather members in the middle of a lockdown?"

"My father is... a unique man." Amane hesitated. "Let us leave it simply as that."

Kirito and Kazuya thought there was something more to her statement, but for Amanes sake, let the matter go.

"Alright then."

"By the by... are you feeling well, mister Minegeshi? Your face is quite red. Perhaps you need a healer?"

"N-no...I'm fine." Kazuya quickly looked away. He didn't notice that his face was still burning. His friends continued to laugh at his predicament, much to his chagrin.

"Okay, ENOUGH." Yuzu put her foot down, annoyed. Atsuro was still laughing, as during the conversation, Yuzu was shooting Amane quick, sharp looks. It was no secret the girl had a crush on Kazuya for as long as she could remember, and given her personality, and infamously known to blush up a storm and thus being rendered a stumbling mess, she couldn't exactly confess her feelings.

Also, she was very clingy, but he didn't dare say that to her face. He did value his life, after all.

"By the way, Amane." Kazuya managed to regain his composure, his blush fading slightly. "I didn't get the chance to ask you this yesterday, but... what exactly did my cousin help you work on?"

"I'm sorry, but it's not in my position to say. But I will tell you this: what Naoya had done for us has greatly benefitted our cause." she replied enigmatically.

"Whaaat?" Klein groaned. "Don't tell me it's one of those client confidentiality things! God I hate those!"

"I see..." Kazuya nodded in understand. "Let me change the question then: if it isn't your position to say, then whose is it?"

"We'll, it's..." Amane grew quiet. Kazuya could've sworn from her expression that seemed reluctant to answer.

"...It's fine if you don't want to answer." Kirito told her. "But, I do need to ask... how did Naoya come to work for you guys in the first place, anyway? Did it have something to do with the COMPS? You had one back when we fought Wendigo."

Amane snapped out of her funk and nodded. "Quite perceptive of you, Kazuto Kirigaya... and you are correct. His work was indeed related to the COMPS, but that is all I can say on the matter. As for how he came into our service... it was my father who approached him."

"Your father?" Sinon frowned, looking back at the charismatic man who was delivering a speech. "Would it happen to be the weirdo over there?"

"Yes." the maiden nodded. "He is the founder of the Shomonkai."

"The founder?" Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "...is there a reason as to why he's doing this?"

"...it's for the purpose of our group. He believes that humanity is going through yet again, another trial by the hands of God."

"Another trial by God?" Agil frowned. "Well, then again, no surprise there when you have demons running amok."

"Ain't that the truth?" Klein commented.

"So, how big is the Shomonkai." Sinon asked curiously.

"We are still receiving new members, even as we speak." Amane answered. "We are still a small organization."

"One last question, Amane-san." Asuna said, joining the conversation. "Do you know where Naoya went after he completed his work with you? Any hints at all would be helpful!"

Sadly, the girl shook her head. "No, he did not speak of where he was going. He was silent, and hardly interacted with anyone at the Shomonkai. The only time he did was when he worked on the demon summoning program."

"So, the Shomonkai does have access to it..." Atsuro said, nodding in understanding as he stored this information for later. "By the way, Amane... do you have any idea what sort of disaster is supposed to happen in six days?"

"That I do not know. I am sorry." she bowed her head in apology.

"It's fine. Thank you for answering our questions." Kazuya smiled in appreciation.

"Well, see ya around, Amane-chan!" Klein said, raising his hand as the group moved away. As they did, however, Amane looked down at the ground.

"So... they are aware of what is to come." she muttered quietly, watching their retreating forms, yet her eyes were glued to Kazuya's back. "There is no mistaking it now... That boy... Kazuya Minegeshi..."

"Amane..." a voice spoke out to her. THe girl turned around and saw her father.

"Father." she bowed her head respectfully. "Are you finished with your speech?"

"Indeed." the man nodded. "It appears I've managed to sway some of their hearts... but it is not nearly enough to achieve our current goals. But, enough of that, who were those people I saw you speaking to?"

"Demon Tamers, who are apparently searching for Naoya Minegeshi." she answered truthfully. "One of them is his cousin, Kazuya Minegeshi."

"Naoyas cousin you say?" the man scratched his chin in thought. An idea was forming in his head.

"Father...?"

"...Amane, continue to keep an eye on them. They may be capable of helping us, should they join."

"Understood." Amane nodded. Her father was the leader of the group, and as such, she must listen to her father's every order. This was not the first she had done so, taking a demon into her body in exchange to defeat one of the Deva, Jikoukuten. As it stood, however, she was also conflicted, having heard a voice not too long ago. If it weren't for that being, she would have been taken in by the demon a long time ago.

"Well then..." Her father bowed his head, and she in turn. With that, the two departed.

Even still, that feeling she recalled from meeting Naoya's cousin... There was no mistaking that feeling. "But... why would he possess such a power?" she wondered. "Kazuya Minegeshi is not a demon, and yet..."

She was unable to shake the thought. Whoever Kazuya Minegishi is...She would need to keep an eye on him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Man, how long have we been walking...?" Yuzu asked tiredly. "I feel like it's been forever."

"But Yuzu-san...It's only been half and hour." Yui corrected.

"I know, Yui-chan..." the red-haired groaned. "But, we've been walking for so long, I can feel sweat pouring into my shoes!"

"I'm starting to get tired as well." Suguha agreed, a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun's rays. "...Why did this have to happen in the hottest month of the year?"

"I think a short break will do us all some good." Kirito voiced.

"Yeah, I agree."

Everybody sat down by a couple nearby lamp posts. But they soon regretted it as the stone blocks used to surround said posts were blazing hot after being exposed to the sun for so long.

"Yikes... damn that is hot..." Atsuro complained. Kirito frowned, as if thinking on something, and then snapped his fingers, whipping out his COMP. With another snap, the stone blocks were frozen solid. "Nice! Man, forgot about that bufu!"

"It's definitely useful." Suguha nodded.

"Yeah, great ide-AH!" Kazuya yelped as he slid off the icy block. He fell onto the burning asphalt below him. "Yeow!"

"Ah! Sorry about that. Guess Bufu works a little too well."Kirito scratched his head.

"Well, it was a nice thought." the blue-haired teen informed him.

Agil held out a hand and Kazuya up.

"Man, glad it wasn't me who slipped up." Klein joked. No one was laughing.

"At least it's somewhat cooler due to the ice." Asuna commented.

"Yeah." Atsuro nodded, before his eyes caught movement shifting in the back alley. "Huh?"

Kazuya followed his friend's eyesight, and his eyes widened when he saw a familiar black, yellow, and green patterned cloth flutter behind a figure with silver hair.

"Wait, was that Naoya?!" Atsuro shouted in shock.

"Quick, after him!"

Everyone got up from where they tried to sit (It was hard to stay still due to the ice), and rushed into the alleyway. However, when they made it to the end, there was no one in sight.

"Shoot. We just missed him again!" Kirito clicked his tongue.

"We had him!" Kazuya scowled. "Dammit, why was he running?"

Klein was about to answer when Yui suddenly became alert and tense. "Demons, incoming!"

By the way... what should Klein's demon be?

"Crap! Even more trouble!" Everyone whipped out their COMPs and summoned their respective Demons.

Klein's demon was certainly in favor of his color, being red with a pair of scimitars. "Okay, Rakshasa!" Klein growled. "It's time to get to work!"

"Heh, about time!" Rakshasa chuckled, twirling his blades around in his hand. "I'm gonna run wild!"

"...I guess it's time to fight, Kama." Sinon sighed, reluctant to summon her own demon. From her COMP spawned a man with long, blue hair garbed in green and red robes sitting atop a pink lotus flower atop a giant pink parrot. In his hands was a bow and arrow.

"I never miss any target." Kama said as he drew the string.

"Okay, game time Gozuki." Agil said, cracking his knuckles while the minotaur snarled, twirling his axe around his head before slamming it to the ground.

The demons appeared. Pixies, Poltergeists, Wairas... every demon they faced were the ones they have faced before.

"Man, with all these demons running around, you woulda expect a bit more variety." Klein commented as he swatted a random pixie out of the air.

"Yeah...It does seem odd." Yuzu agreed as she zapped a Poltergeist mid air.

"Bah, who cares!" Rakshasa shouted as he chopped down a Waira. "I just want to fight!"

"Hmph, barbarian..." Kama shook his head as his parrot flew above the reach of an Ogre before impaling it with several arrows. "Learn to enjoy the finer things in life!"

"Haa...fighting sure does take a toll on these old bones of mine." Waira sighed before moving in to slice a Kobold in half.

"C'mon ya chumps! bring it on!" Obaryion punched a Pixie.

"Kukuku..." Lilim giggled as she slammed her leg into the head of a fallen Waira, crushing it into the ground. "They're so easy to break."

"Is it just me..." Yuzu said, sweat-dropping slightly. "Or are they having a bit too much fun?"

"...I'm thinking it's more of the latter." Asuna agreed as she froze a kobald's head into a block of ice. The beast abruptly fell forward as most of its senses were taken. "...I'm more worried about Yui..." She spoke in concern as she, Kirito, and the others turned to her daughter.

"Ne...Mama. Papa..." She cleaved another waits and Orobas in quick movement, and stood on a mountain of demon bodies. "...This is pretty fun."

"...We let her do support." the SAO Survivors spoke in unison.

The demon wave had not lasted long, given the size of their party. In little time, the wave was obliterated. Once the last demon was destroyed, they once again pursued Naoya.

There was not a trace of him anywhere.

"Dammit! When we start to get a lead on him, he just vanishes into thin air." Atsuro swore.

"If you ask me, that demon horde seemed a little too convenient." Agil brought up.

Kirito nodded in agreement. The moment they finally sight of Naoya, he vanished, and following that, demons showed up, as if to distract them and to hide his tracks. 'Could he be hiding from us?' he wondered. 'If so, why? Can he not reveal himself just yet?'

"Well, since we can't find him, what should we do?" Asuna asked. "I mean, we can't chase after a false lead."

"Yeah but...would it be too much if we went back to his apartment?" Suguha asked. Everyone turned to her in question, wanting elaboration. It seemed too obvious.

"Well, I mean...that's where he lives. So why wouldn't he be there?"

"I don't know Sugu..." Kirito answered. "It seems too obvious."

"Yeah." Kazuya nodded. "If at all anything, Naoya would expect us to do that."

Just then, everyone's COMP went off. Asuna and Yuzu jumped at the sound, having been engrossed in conversation. "Whoa, that scared me...!" Yuzu said, startled. "A message?"

"From Naoya, maybe?" Sinon offered. "Let's take a look."

**FROM:  
SUBJECT:**

The program Cath/exe has been downloaded to your COMP.

The Cathedral of Shadows is an organization that has existed for many years for the purpose of fusing Demons together in order to create new Demons. This program allows you to remotely access the Cathedral of Shadows network and fuse the demons currently registered to your COMP. Use this to create more powerful demons.

[NOTES]  
-Two demons are fused to create a new demon.  
-Pre-fusion skills can be carried over.  
-Defined rules determine which skills are carried over through fusion.  
-Powerful demons not available through the Devil Auction can be created with fusion.

"What the- Fusion?!" Klein shouted, eyes wide. "Man, this is like a freaking video game right about now! First beating demons gets you magnetite, which is like freakin' experience, and now we got this?!"

"Yeah. These new features will definitely be an asset in the future." Atsuro said.

"That may be...but it could also be a problem for us..." Kazuya voiced. Everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Agil asked.

"Think about it...if We all got these features...then what if people with other Altered COMPs could use them as well? You all heard Amane. Naoya was the one who helped them with their project. What if that project had something to do with these COMPs? What if Wendigo running wild wasn't from some ritual...but from an Altered COMP?" Kirito explained.

Asuna frowned. "But, that doesn't sound right... Wendigo didn't act like the demons we fought."

"What do you mean?" Yuzu asked. What made Wendigo so different?

"Think about it." the Commander of the Blood Knights offered. "He didn't act like the demons that first appear from the COMPS. Also, remember what how he talked? It didn't sound like he had killed the one who summoned him."

"Hm, you have a point..." Atsuro nodded. "Maybe it's got something to do with the server..."

"Wait, the server?" Agil frowned. "What do you mean, AT-LOW?"

"I looked into it. Normally, our COMPS function on multiple servers that receive information, deconstruct it to narrow down the precise information of what we're looking for, and then send that information over back over to the COMP that sent it. But, with ours, it works differently. They're connected to only one server."

"Uh...you lost me. What now?" Yuzu asked.

"Basically, the reason our COMPs can summon demons and use skills is because of the Server. The Server transmits information, which is then received by our COMPs. You could think of the information as the energy and blueprints needed to construct the demon or spell you're using." Kirito explained.

"Ah, I think I got it." Agil nodded. "So then, altered COMPS can't access the normal ones, and the only one that they can access this special one."

"That's right." Atsuro nodded. "Although...I still can't figure out the algorithms that Naoya used to even make these summon demons in the first place. Whatever the Server is...it's anything but normal."

"Yeah." Sinon nodded. "Naoya must have the know how to connect it... Just who is he, really? No ordinary person should have that sort of knowledge."

"Well you haven't met Naoya." Kirito pointed out. "The guy always was a genius. He even Graduated Tokyo University with Computer Science, Computer Programming, and Software Engineer degrees at age 14."

"Yep. Our teacher sure knew all about this stuff." Atsuro nodded in agreement.

"That's proving my point." Sinon stated. "There's no way someone shouldn't have that level of knowledge."

"He has a point, Kirito-kun." Asuna voiced her agreements.

"What do you mean?" Suguha asked. "Couldn't Naoya just be some sort of prodigal genius?"

"I don't think that would be possible Suguha."

"There's also the fact that he set all of this up." Klein said. "I mean, who in the world can make something like this? If you ask me, he has to have a lot of knowhow, and I mean thousands of years kind of knowhow!"

"Kinda reminds me of Cain." Agil chuckled, earning confused looks. "What? Don't you guys know the story about the Bible?"

Most of them shook their heads. They didn't pay much attention to this kind of stuff.

"Man!" Agil sighed, running a hand down his face. "You guys gotta brush up on your religious stories."

"Ano..." Yui raised her hand. "Do you mean the story about Abel and Cain, the sons of Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God?"

"Yep." the bartender smiled, recalling that Yui was practically a living computer, able to check up on anything she wanted. "When Cain murdered his brother, and when his father found out, he sentenced Cain to remember every piece of memory of every life he ever led. In other words... he wouldn't forget anything. He was sentenced to live for an eternity."

"Damn...!" Atsuro winced. "That's harsh!"

"No kidding...!" Klein agreed. "I mean, being forced to remember all the lives you lived? I don't know everything about the human mind, but I think there's a limit of how much a person is capable of retaining without losing his mind."

"Let's not forget that in that case, it was a punishment given by God."

Kazuya felt something break in the back of his head... it felt like something banging against it.

"Whoa, seriously" Asuna grew horrified. "Man... That must be horrible for someone who believed in God."

"I wonder how Abel felt, being killed by his own brother all because of jealousy?" Sinon wondered.

Without realizing it, Kazuya said, "N-no, brother was..."

Everyone turned to the blue haired teen. What did he say?

"Kazuya...you alright?" Kirito asked in concern.

But his question fell on deaf ears. In the depths of the boy's mind. Visions that were unknown, yet familiar filled his vision. All his heard were loud outbursts and cries. His vision filled with flashing images and blood splattering.

"Nrgh...!"

"Whoa, dude!" Atsuro immediately went to his friend, keeping him steady. His body had begun to sway, and his eyes hazy with a distant look, like he was somewhere else. "Dude, are you alright?"

"W-what..." Kazuya seemed to snap back to his senses, blinking. "W-what did I just say?"

"Something about a 'brother'... Were you talking about Naoya?"

"I...I was...?" he blinked in confusion. Everyone looked at one another, unsure what to say. What happened with Kazuya? Was he referring to Naoya? But he was his cousin.

"Yeah...it almost sounded like you were going to argue Cain's reason, but somehow mentioned Naoya."

"Dude, maybe the heat's getting to ya." Klein suggested. "Also, can we skip the Cain talk? Seriously, just talking about this guy is making my head hurt.

"Same here...can we please leave this place? I don't feel too comfortable standing in e middle of an alley way." Yuzu agreed.

"Yeah." Kirito. "Come on, let's go."

The group moved away from the alley. Kazuya had to be carried around by Atsuro, due to still feeling dizzy. When they had brought up Cain, he felt like his head was being nailed into, like hammers were slamming down upon his skull. What exactly happened? And why had he tried to defend Cain's reasons, but end up talking about Naoya? It just... didn't make sense.

And yet, he couldn't help but feel that Naoya was important to him... far more so than some brother figure.

He did not know the answers to his own questions. But he was unable to simply ignore them. Whatever is happening...he had a feeling it had something to do with these thoughts he was having.

XXXXXXXXXX

The group had been walking for a long while before they came to a stop, mostly due to the fact that Suguha and Yuzu stopped in front of them, listening to what sounded like music faintly dancing in the air.

"Wait, hold on..." Suguha was the first to recognize it. "Yuzu, is that what I...?"

"Y-yeah... This is Reset." the girl nodded, her face blank, but it was clear that she was apparently holding something in. "Then, that means..."

They started to walk again, but at a quicker pace. When they reached the end of the block, they saw the source of the noise in the town square. Everyone else rushed to catch up to them. But the girls didn't pay any mind as their focus was on the red haired singer in the white dress in the center of the square.

"Kyaaaaah! It's Haru!" Yuzu cheered.

"E-eh?!" Klein's eyes suddenly became wide. "Oh, no way! She's seriously here?!"

"Sorry everyone!" the red-haired singer apologized as she continued to play on what looked like a keyboard. "I'm using a battery powered amp! Blame it on the blackout!" she smiled a moment later. "Here's hoping my songs will get you out of those blackout blues!"

"Sugoi..." Kirito shook his head when he noticed Klein's face. He had drool rolling down the corner of his mouth, with hearts in his eyes. The two girls were pretty much the same way, minus the drooling. "Haha, man, it really is her! This is AWESOME!"

"Y-yeah!" Suguha and Yuzu nodded vigorously. "This is just what we needed to cheer us up! HAAAAARUUUUUU!"

"...Somebody, kill me now..."

Sinon giggled. "This is my first time seeing Kirito so flustered."

"Yeah, well..." Asuna joined in, a teasing grin on her face. "It would be pretty embarrassing when your sister goes into fangirl mode."

"Please stop Asuna..." Kirito begged, wanting to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Ne, Mama..." Yui tugged on Asuna's skirt. "I'm detecting that Yuzu-san, Oba-san, and Klein-san are really happy. Is it because of the song?"

"No, it's more like..." Asuna tilted her head. "What's the word I'm looking for?"

"Fanboying?" Sinon offered, making the rapier-user snap her fingers. "That's it, that's the word!"

"What does that mean?"

"Basically, a person going crazy over someone they like or idolize." Agil explained, and sweat-dropped upon seeing the three getting worked up. "Although, I'm not sure which is the bigger fan."

Haru noticed her major fans, and chuckled. "Looks like I got a couple fans in the crowd. I'm just about warmed up now, so... here's one for you!"

"Ahhhh! She noticed us!" The three cried in cheer. The others just sweatdropped.

"Yep...hard to tell..."

"Somebody, just kill me now, please?" Kirito begged, his face beat red in embarrassment. The crowd roared as Haru continued to play her song, though Kazuya was the only person actually, solely focused on her. "Eh? Kazuya, what's up? Don't tell me you're starting to turn into a fan!" Atsuro chuckled.

His friend's face didn't budge. "...Harusawa-san doesn't have any days left."

"Wait, what?!" Everyone snapped their heads to turn to them. Well, everyone save for Yuzu, Suguha, and Klein, who were still lost in the music.

"Wait, so she's going to die today!?" Asuna questioned.

"Damn...so sooner than Keisuke and Midori..." Atsuro voiced.

"Che, too much happening." Agil scowled. "Though, if what happened with me is any indication, we can save her."

"Yeah, definitely!" Asuna nodded strongly. "Still... We've got too many objectives. We have to find Naoya, figure out what exactly is supposed to happen that requires us, and stop people from dying... That's one long list."

Kirito nodded. "For now, let's focus on what we have to do."

"Yeah. For now, we should focus on finding Naoya. The rest we can worry about when the time comes." Kazuya said. Everyone else nodded.

In a few moments, Haru's song finally ended.

"Whoo!" Klein grinned happily. "Seeing Haru live was AWESOME!"

"I know, right? Hearing her songs always make me feel better." Yuzu agreed.

"Well, I'm glad you guys liked it." Kazuya said, a slight smile on his face. "Given how things are, hearing her sing definitely lifts the mood."

"Yeah, no doubt about that." Kirito nodded. "By the way, we need to tell you guys something..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"W-what?" Yuzu's eyes threatened to pop out of her head. "Sh-she's going to die today?! We've got to tell her!"

"So you want us to go up to her and say: We're sorry, but you're going to die today? I'm pretty sure she'll think were psycho." Atsuro argued.

"Well, but...What are supposed to do?!" Suguha retorted.

"We do what we did with Agil. Save her."

"Damn right." Sinon nodded. "Just find the suckers after her, and knock 'em dead. Easy."

"So, in that case..." Klein rubbed the back of his neck. "Where do we start? Follow her around? Hey, I may be a huge fan, but I ain't THAT big a one!"

"...did any of you ask where she would be...?" Yuzu, Suguha, and Klein shook their heads.

Sinon sighed in frustration. "Fans, every last one of you are a complete idiot."

The three cringed at Sinon's rude, yet accurate, remark.

"Well, standing around isn't going to help us. We should just ask around. Or maybe Gin. Yuzu did say he was Haru's guardian, so maybe he knows." Atsuro pointed out.

"Hopefully." Kazuya added. However, just as they were about to move...

"Look, I already told you before! I'm not interested."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice. It was a civilian woman. It seemed as if she was trying to get away from the approaching Shomonkai Member.

"Wait, is that...?"

The woman in question was none other than Haru. It would be nearly impossible to mistake her red hair and white dress, along with the tattoo branded on her shoulder. The Shomonkai member wore a different outfit than the one the others wore, as it lacked a hood. He had on a black coat with the same sort of flower that Amane had on her forehead, located on the collar of the coat. His face was staunch and impassive, and his eyes were narrowed, as if squinted.

"Are you sure?" the man asked. "The Shomonkai can provide adequate protection for you."

Haru was quickly growing annoyed with him, her golden eyes forming into a glare. "Lay off, already, will you? How many times do I need to say it?!" she snapped at him.

"I see. Forgive my rudeness. But if you ever change your mind, please, let one of our members know." With a curt bow, the man spoke his final words before he left.

Kirito and the others walked up to Haru. "Good grief...what was with that weirdo?"

"Who the heck was that?" Kazuya asked. Haru blinked, noticing their presence just now. She immediately recognized Klein, Suguha, and Yuzu.

"Oh, hey, I remember you kiddos from the street show earlier..." she said. "Speaking of that, you two: the guy with the bandana and the red-haired girl... I think I've seen you guys at a couple of my concerts."

"Really? You remember us?!" Yuzu and Klein spoke with stars in their eyes. Everyone else sweat dropped.

"Wow...hardcore fans..."

"Just ignore them... please." Kirito begged slightly, earning a giggle. "So, what did that guy want with you anyway?"

"Huh? Oh, him. He said that he wanted me to join their group. The Shomonkai...or whatever..." Haru shrugged. "He seemed rather pushy about it." But this information brought questions. Why would a member of the Shomonkai be so persistent in getting someone like Haru to join? For what reason?

"Is that so..." Kazuya muttered. He also caught Haru staring at him for some strange reason. "Huh, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, really." she replied, leaning forward. He couldn't help but blush, getting a fairly good view of her cleavage. "You have this... strange smell... maybe a bit dangerous."

Her voice was lowered into a whisper, as if not wanting the others to hear. "Well, anyway, it's nice to meet you guys. The name's Haru, but it seems like a few of you already know me."

"Yep. Those would be the screaming banshees who call themselves your fans." Sinon spoke evenly.

"H-hey!" The trio cried in defiance.

"Case in point. I'm Shino Asada by the way."

"Kazuya Kirigaya, but just call me Kirito."

"Asuna Yuki, it's a pleasure!"

"Name's Agil. Nice to meet ya, Harusawa."

"Atsuro Kihara, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"And I'm Yui!" the girl chirped. "It's very nice to meet you, Harusawa-san!"

Haru smiled back. "Huh, cute kid. Say, where are your parents?"

Kirito and Asuna were starting to become irritated with that question. One day, and already a number of people have asked that, and of course...

"Mama and Papa are right here!"

...that happens, leading to...

"...Wait, these kids?" Haru blinked, looking at the two. She stared at them for a good long while, her arms crossed over her chest.

Silence, just silence...

...

...Okay, now it was getting awkward.

"Christ, and here I thought teenage parent days were done." Haru sighed, shaking her head. "Still, weren't you guys a bit young before you finally decided to turn into actual adults?"

"It-it's not like that!" Asuna blushed. Kirito's face was bright red as well.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Haru raised an eyebrow.

"Eh?" Yui tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean by, becoming actual adults?"

"You'll learn when your older, kid." Haru replied, earning a pout from the small girl and eliciting a laugh. "Well, I'll be seeing you."

With that, she turned to leave. Atsuro blinked, looking at Haru, and then back at the two. "So... even though you guys are a couple, you still haven't... you know...?" he said, not wanting to actually tell Yui. That conversation that would follow afterwards would be embarrassing as all of hell.

Asuna's face settled into a rigid, cold look. She walked right toward the back, brought back her leg, and-

"AAAAGH!"

All the boys' eyes widened, instinctively moving back and proteting their nether regions while the girl winced.

"Yeowch..." Yuzu cringed.

"That... had to hurt." Sinon added.

"Well to be honest...we walked right into that one." Suguha sighed.

"Ah...ah..." The hat wearing teen was reduced to a crumpled mess on the ground. Tears of pain leaked from his eyes as he cried in silence. "...Critical hit...to the nads...!"

The guys took pity on the poor boy. But he was asking for it when he asked Asuna that question.

"Hmph!" Asuna just huffed, not wanting to answer that statement. But her response gave the answer.

Kirito just sighed at his girlfriend's actions, but had to agree that Atsuro had it coming on that one.

"You should have kept your moth shut, man..." Klein told the fallen and incapacitated teen, who groaned in response.

Yep, even with the chaos running round, stuff like this was pretty much common in Kirito's life.

"Anyway...Shouldn't we be following Haru to make sure she's safe?" Agil pointed out.

At this suggestion, everyone became alert. That was right, she would die today. They didn't know when, but it would be better if they stayed close to her.

"Okay, let's go." Kirito and Kazuya stated, and the group followed. Klein, however, was forced to carry Atsuro on his back, as the boy was still injured due to the strike Asuna delivered to his private parts.

"Wait, why do I have to carry him?" The samurai complained.

"Unanimous decision!" Everyone said at once, much to his chagrin.

"You guys suck!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Several minutes later, the group found themselves in the middle of the city with no sign of Haru.

"Dammit. We lost her, again!"

"How the hell do you lose an idol in empty streets?!" Sinon growled in annoyance. "Seriously!"

"No idea. I guess we all have a habit of losing people." Agil sighed.

Kirito growled in frustration, looking around. "Dammit, we're gonna have to split up. We can cover more ground if we spread out. If you run into demons, don't hesitate to call for back up!"

"Got it." Sinon nodded.

"Me, Kirito-kun, and Yui will search the South end." Asuna said. "Sinon, Agil, and Klein, you guys can take the East side."

"Yosh!" Klein nodded alongside the two.

Kazuya could already tell what he was going to do. "Then me, Atsuro, and Yuzu will search the North end."

"Ah..." Atsuro grunted, still experiencing phantom pain.

"I'm up for it." Yuzu agreed.

"Alright, then let's search for an idol." Shino said. With that, the group separated.

With Kazuya's group, Atsuro was still groaning in pain, his movements sluggish. "Agh, man..." the capped boy moaned. "I can hardly feel anything down there... Just how hard does Asuna kick?"

"Well, it was your own fault." the blue-haired teen replied. "You practically walked right into that one."

"Yeah, I get that, but with the way those two act, you would think that Yui really was their kid and not an AI." Atsuro defended. "Still, it's really hard to imagine that Naoya was able to do that."

Yuzu nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. I knew he was smart, but... maybe Sinon had a point about him being way too smart."

"Well, if we go by what Agil told us, who knows? Maybe Naoya really is Cain."

'Naoya...Cain...' The more Kazuya thought about it, the more his head ached. Was it really possible? Was his cousin really the next incarnation of Cain?

"By the way, Akuma..." Atsuro said, turning to his friend. "About what happened... you really don't remember what you said?"

"No... But, for some reason, when we were talking about Cain, my head started to hurt... It felt like my skull was about to crack."

At this, Yuzu became concerned. "Really? You should have told us about that!"

"Yeah." Atsuro said in agreement. "Still... You said you got it while we were talking about Cain?"

"Yeah."

"Huh... You know, Agil mentioned that Cain had a younger brother, right? Who knows? Maybe your Abel reincarnated!" the geeky boy grinned. Yuzu shook her head, however. "Maybe, but didn't Cain kill his brother out of jealousy because God favored him the most or something?"

Once again, Kazuya acted strangely. "No, that wasn't it. He was..." he trailed off, blinking as if to retain his senses. "What... What was I...?"

Atsuro was oblivious to his friend's sudden action. "That might be true, but Cain did care about his brother, if what Yui told us after looking him up. Cain grew pretty horrified about what he had done, and gave his brother a proper burial. According to the Bible, after receiving his punishment, Cain grew pretty resentful towards God, and regretted what he did to his brother."

"So he hated God for making him murder his brother?" Yuzu asked.

"That seems the gist of it."

"No...Cain was..."

"Eh?" Atsuro finally noticed his friend's behavior. "Hey, dude, you okay? You got a headache again?"

"Y-yeah..." Kazuya nodded, a hand at his hand. "Dammit, what's wrong with me?"

"Maybe you should sit down once we find Haru." Yuzu suggested. "We could have Yui take a look at you later if you want. Kirito did mention that she was a mental health program, right?"

"That's right. Maybe she can help you." Atsuro agreed.

"Hopefully..." Kazuya nodded. The trio continued their search. They tried asking a few pedestrians for Haru, but some of them ignored their questions while those who tried to be helpful had no idea where she was.

"Man, where could she be...?" Atsuro muttered. "I mean, seriously! She's supposed to be an idol! You'd think there would be people after her by now wanting her autograph!"

"We've got find her!" Yuzu voiced her thoughts. "She's gonna die if we don't!"

Kazuya put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We won't let that happen. After all, we stopped Agil from dying today, and we can do that same thing again."

"Y-yeah...you're right..." Yuzu smiled. Her face was slightly flushed from the close contact. "Thanks, Kazuya."

"Oh? Are you blushing Yoohoo?" At auto snickered

"..." The girl looked at him with a blank expression. Her leg was already reared back.

Instinctively, Atsuro moved back, taking refuge behind Kazuya. "Whoa, hey! C'mon! I-I was joking!" he shouted at her in panic. "Geez, can't you take a bit of teasing?!"

Kazuya sighed. "Again, Atsuro?"

"Sorry...just can't help myself. She can make it too easy..." He muttered sheepishly.

"Well, keep it up, and you may not have kids one day..."

"You're kidding, right? After what Asuna did, I'm not even sure my thing can... er... on second thought, never mind."

Kazuya sighed again, shaking his head. "Oi vay..."

As the group was about to continue their search, the sound of a roaring growl echoed into the air.

"W-was that?!"

"Let's go!"

The three teens broke into sprints to the source of the noise. They all hoped it wasn't what they thought it was. In a matter of minutes, they were in front of the concert hall.

"Haru!"

Indeed. At the staircase was a woman with red hair, wearing a familiar white dress and carrying what appeared to be a keyboard of some kind. In front of her were several demons.

"Huh? Oh, hey it's you guys..." She greeted nonchalantly. It was as if she paid no mind to the demons surrounding her.

"Haru, you need to run!" Yuzu shouted at her. "You'll die if you don't!"

"Eh, don't worry 'bout it..." the girl shruged off their words as she began to fiddle with her keyboard. She frowned, however, when she saw that nothing was working. She fiddled with again, but received the same results. "Aw, crap... It's out of juice, isn't it? Guess I'm sort of screwed, huh?"

She didn't even seem panicked at all.

"Dammit, what the hells she doing?! At this rate, she's going to get killed!"

"We gotta save her!"

"C'mon on, then!" Kazuya shouted as he whipped out his COMP. "Come forth, my demons!"

Emerging from his COMP was his partner, Kobold. However, next to it was a new demon, one he had purchased from the auction.

The demon was humanoid in form, wearing what appeared to be a red suit bearing a high collar and a white cravat, a black top hat sitting atop its head. However, its hips were protruding outwards in a bulbous manner, and its hands were claws, the slender digits sharp talons. It also possessed a black, metallic face, bearing a flaming mouth and eyes, chains shackled at it's wrists with a severed link. Emerging from its back were a pair of smoky, black wings.

"Hmph, about time." the demon said, the mouth forming into a grin. "I was beginning to grow bored in there, you know."

"Sorry, but at least now, you get to cut loose." Kazya apologized.

"Good to know." The demon looked over at its opponents, the fire-like grin growing. "Well, this should be easy... Hm, I wonder if they have anything note-worthy of stealing."

"What are you, a thief?" Atsuro asked, as he hadn't known that Kazuya gained a new demon.

The demon couldn't help but laugh. "Exactly. Arsene, at your service."

"Wait, arsene...? As in the Arsene? The greatest thief in history?" Atsuro questioned,

"Indeed."

"Aiiiyeeee...!" a Poltergeist screamed. "Hand over the magic song, wench! Our master demands it!"

In response, Haru glared daggers at it. "Oh, hush, ghost boy."

Arsene chuckled. "Oh, I like this woman." He bared his claws, flexing his hand and his body moving away from the ground. "Very well then... It's time to begin!"

Like a bullet, Arsene shot forward and skewered the Poltergeist with his sharp claws. "Heh...what a weakling!"

Haru's eyes widened at the appearance of the demon, and then back to the group. "You guys..." she recalled them from earlier. "Wait, you can use demons too?"

"We can talk later!" Kazuya replied back as he and Kobold fought against a Bilwis and an Ogre. "You need to get out of here, Haru!"

"Yeah! Just come over to us!" Yuzu called out.

"Okay! Can you guys clear me a path?!"

"You got it!" Atsuro shouted back as he delivered a Zio to an Ogre, leaving it stunned for a moment. In the next second, it was reduced to ash by Kabuso. With it's death, a Kobold and a Waira stepped up. "Tch, talk about a hassle! I'm used to us having the advantage in numbers!"

"Worry about that later!" Kazuya called back as he allowed the charred body of a Bilwis to drop. "Arsene!"

"With pleasure!"

Almost like a phantom image, the legendary thief bobbed and weaved through the horde. Once it snapped its fingers, the demons fell to the ground, dispersing in smoke. "Truly pathetic."

Haru whistled. "Damn that's hot."

"Oh? Have I stolen your heart, songstress?"

"In you dreams, Tophat." Haru smirked.

"Hah! I like a woman when she's feisty!" Arsene laughed.

"Well that's a first. Since when do demons flirt?"

"Ugh, can we skip the flirting!" Yuzu growled, annoyed by the demon's behavior. Atsuro would have called her out on being a hardcore fangirl, but wisely chose to focus on the battle. Pixie ducked underneath the Kobold's swing, and fired a Zio spell in its face, causing it to howl in pain. "Here!" the girl shouted, throwing a punch to its face. It disintegrated into particles afterwards.

"Whoa. She may be small, but de sure packs a punch!" Atsuro remarked.

"Hey! Don't call me that!" Pixie snapped. Electricity was crackling around her for emphasis.

Arsene sighed. "Young man, there is a word to describe imbeciles like you... Masochists."

"Wh-what?! Atsuro gawked at the demon. "What the hell are you taking about?!"

Despite the situation they were in, Kazuya nodded his head in agreement. "Well, you DO say things that usually end up getting you hurt pretty badly. Atsuro, if you want to talk, we're willing to listen."

"D-dammit, I'm not into that!"

"Are you sure?" Kazuya asked as he bashed the head of a Waira without looking. "I'm your friend. I'm willing to listen."

"It is not best to keep such things personal forever, you know." Arsene suggested as his chains easily wrapped around the throats of two Kobolds about to strike him from behind. With a flick of the wrists, the heads were snapped off. "If you wish, I can recommend you to a demon psychiatrist. Bit of warning, my friend, Murmur is, how do you say... A bit eccentric."

"Can you guys please shut up!" The capped teen yelled as he fried an opposing Gozuki. "Like I said, I'm not I to that kind of stuff!"

"That is what they all say." Arsene snickered.

"Dammit! Shut up!"

"Ahem."

The group stopped when a vastly confused Ogre stared at them, along with a few other demons that remained. "We do not mean to be rude, but..." it started out with hesitation. "May we please go back to killing each other?"

...

"...Yes, we can." Kazuya and Arsene stated. In that one instant, the demons suddenly wished they kept their mouths shut.

In a matter of seconds, the ogre and the rest of the horde was frozen, shredded, zapped, and vaporized by the duo.

Haru whistled, clapping her hands while the group gawked. Arsene shook his head, his arms folded over his head. "Idiots, all of them."

"You got that right." Kazuma agreed as he kicked a Poltergeist out of the air.

The last demons were obliterated by Yuzu and Atsuro, the two working with their demons. Once they were destroyed, they finally regrouped with Haru.

Kazuya smiled in relief when he saw the number increase from zero to one.

"Whew...! Glad that's over." Atsuro sighed in relief.

"Are you alright, Haru?" Yuzu asked the songstress.

"Huh? Yeah I'm fine."

"Most impressive..." Arsene praised. "Even in the face of demons, you didn't lose your composure whatsoever. You are truly a most intriguing human."

"Hey, shouldn't you be going back?" the capped boy frowned, tilting his head. "I mean, the fight's over."

"I figured I might as well stick around for a while." the winged thief responded. "Besides, it's been far too long since I've been here in the human world. Also..." he floated towards Kazuya. "I wish to know more about my master. I've never met such a curious human."

"Uh...thank you?" Kazuya guessed, not sure if it was supposed to be a compliment or what.

"So...he's really going to be sticking around?" Yuzu asked.

"Guess so." Atsuro said, though even he felt a bit off-put by the demon's interest. What exactly made Kazuya a "curious human?" Sure, he was pretty strong, maybe on par with Kirito, but other than that, he just really couldn't see it.

Arsene, however, saw Kazuya a bit differently. A demon's perception of reality was vastly different than that of a human. To them, the world was sloshed with darkness, abundant with sin and malevolence. It was human nature to sin, yet what he saw in Kazuya was nothing of the sort. It was a light that was not tainted, the purest of light. His soul was shining, devoid of any darkness. To a demon such as himself, Arsene would have gladly savored the taste, if given the chance to devour it.

However, there was something else existing alongside the light... a great darkness, on par with even the strongest of demons. How was that possible? How could a human possess a perfect balance between light and darkness, especially of such purity and sin? It should be impossible! And that darkness... he only knew a few demons with that darkness.

'I see...so this really is that being's incarnation...A candidate for the Throne.' Arsene chuckled mentally. 'I have definitely picked an interesting master...who knew that he is the reincarnation of Abel...?'

Kazuya just stared back. He wasn't sure if it was his mind playing tricks on him again...but he could have sworn that Arsene was smiling, not the smile on his mask, but actually smiling beneath it.

"Still, what were you thinking, Haru?" Yuzu glared at the woman, confused and worried. "If we hadn't shown up, you would have been in trouble!"

"Well, you're right about that." Haru admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Though, if my Sequencer hadn't crapped out on me, I would have been fine."

"What do you mean? What does your sequencer have to do with anything?" Atsuro asked as he took a glance at the machine. Did it have some kind of strange function?

"Well, like what you three just did, this baby can summon demons too. Not sure how, though."

"W-wait, seriously?!" The group's eyes widened, while Arsene looked at it with interest, his arms folded over his chest with a hand at the chin. "How is that possible?!" Atsuro asked, looking at the Sequencer with stars in his eyes. "I mean, does it have a Demon Summoning Program?"

"Demon Summoning what?" the singer frowned, shaking her head. "No, that isn't it. There's a song in here that the former owner left me to finish. It seems like it can summon demons, though not like the way you guys can."

"Ah, the Primal Common Tongue." Arsene spoke. "I haven't seen that in ages. I'm impressed that it is even still known in this day and age."

"The Primal Common... what?" Kazuya frowned. "What is that?"

"In the olden days, humans once sang melodies to bring forth demons." the legendary thief answered. "However, it proved to be quite a bit... unstable. I recall that one human had wished to summon the Harlot of Babylon, and instead summoned Mara."

"Mara...? Who's that?" Yuzu asked. Arsene looked at the young woman.

"...You don't want to know...It will scar you for life..." The demon shook his head. He then refocused on the group. "Anyway, the method of summoning demons with song brought forth unpredictable results. They would seek to summon demons they thought to control, only to call forth those too powerful to bring under their reign, thus killing themselves."

"S-seriously?" Atsuro paled. "Man, that's scary!"

"I'm surprised that you would attempt such a dangerous thing." Arsene said. "You are a very bold woman."

Haru smirked. "Getting a compliment from a demon? That's a new one."

"What can I say? Before I'm a demon, I'm a gentleman thief."

"A thief huh?" Haru raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, have you stolen any hearts, Demon boy?"

"Not yet." Arsene smirked. "Although, I wouldn't mind trying to steal yours."

"Your welcome to try, but don't think I'll be giving it up anytime soon." Haru replied with a smirk. Arsene smirked back.

"Hmhmhm... I wouldn't be a thief if I didn't enjoy a challenge."

Yuzu's eyebrow twitched.

"Are...either of you guys disturbed by this? A demon is hitting on Haru..."

Both Kazuya and Atsuro just shrugged.

"What do you expect?" Arsene smirked at her. Well, at least that's what the flames that looked like a mouth suggested. "I AM a demon, after all. No need to get so uptight... Though, I wouldn't mind trying to steal your heart as well."

Yuzu harumphed, turning away with her arms folded beneath her breasts. Atsuro chuckled. "Sorry, dude, but Kazuya already has her heart stolen." Yuzu's eyes widened in horror, her face becoming completely red while Arsene chuckled, turning to his master.

"Is that so? Interested in becoming a partner in crime, by any chance? You would be amazed by how many noble demons are so easy to steal from. You could make a killing in no time."

"You think so...?" Kazuya tilted his head in wonder. Was it really possible?

"Heeeeeey!" Yuzu interrupted. "Don't corrupt him!"

Haru couldn't help but laugh. "You guys really are something." the singer said with a smile. "Especially you... Kazuya, you said your name was?" The girl walked around him, examining him from head to toe. "You've got this... dangerous smile on you." The blue-haired boy blushed at this, and it only brightened when she got a tad bit too close to his face, a strange smile on her lips. "I kinda like that about you."

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what...?!" Yuzu stammered, her mind not processing what's going on.

Atsuro and Arsene shared a grin. The winged thief's flaming smirk was stretching all across the black mask. "Well, well, it appears that he's already stolen her heart." he cackled. "He would definitely make a good thief."

"Well, see you around." Haru raised a hand as she turned to leave. Once she did, Yuzu whirled around and turned to look at Kazuya. "H-hey, what the heck was that about?!"

Atsuro grinned from ear to ear. "Heehee~ Yoohoo's got a rival! Haru's gonna snatch Kazuya away!"

"W-wh-what?!" Yuzu's face became scarlet red. "Th-that isn't...! Gugh, dammit, Atsuro!"

The boy immediately saw the danger when she reared her leg back, and once again took refuge. Kazuya and Arsene stared at him for a good ten seconds before looking at each other, and nodding. "Masochist."

"I keep telling you guys, I'm not into that!"

"Yeah...keep telling yourself that." Arsene responded.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?!"

"No."

"Kazuya, will you just send him back!"

"Why?" Kazuya tilted his head. "I kind of enjoy his company."

"As do I." The demon floated next to the blue haired teen.

"Screw you guys!"

"No thanks." Arsene shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm perfectly straight."

"Sorry, Atsuro." Kazuya apologized. "But, I'm not into guys."

"I-I didn't mean it like that! Dammit, you guys!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Whoa, what the hell is that?!"

The group met up back at the Concert Hall once Atsuro sent a message to Kirito through his laptop. Everyone held the same reaction upon seeing the top hatted demon next to Kazuya.

"Greetings." the winged demon bowed respectfully. "Arsene of the Tyrants. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

"Uh...Likewise..." Kirito bowed. He then pulled Kazuya over to the side. "Why is your demon still out? Shouldn't you have called it back by now?" He whispered.

"He said he wanted to stay out for a while." the teen replied. "Besides, I kind of enjoy his company."

"Wait, Arsene?" Agil frowned, looking at the demon closely. "You mean Arsene Lupin, the fictional great thief from those French films and novels?"

"Correct." Arsene nodded. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise." Agil held out a hand. Arsene grabbed it and shook it.

"Uh, are you sure that's a good idea, Agil?" Klein questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you said he's the great thief...what if he pick pocketed you already?"

"Oh, hush." Arsene snapped before something slipped in between his fingers. To everyone's surprise, it was a wallet. "You're the easiest to target."

"Wha-?!" Klein immediately dug into his pocket, and scowled. "You ass! Give that back!"

"Hmph, fine..." he casually tossed it back to the swordsman, who fumbled a bit before catching it. "but still..." he held out the yen bills and cards in his hand. "it amazes me how you humans can lose sight of what's truly valuable. As well as your changing currency."

"What the- dammit, I meant give it all back!"

"With pleasure." Arsene flicked the bills and cards back to Klein. "You don't really have anything of value to steal anyway. For goodness sake, the times truly have changed since I came here last. Back then, everything was nothing but coins and bills and gold and silver."

"Well, it is the 20th Century." Sinon said. Arsene's flaming eyes widened.

"It's been that long? Dear me, I'm getting old."

"Why? When was the last time you have been in the human world?" Kazuya asked.

"A couple centuries, give or take a few decades."

"So, in the late 1900's?" Asuna asked.

Yui nodded. "You're pretty close, Mama. Arsene Lupin was introduced to the world in 1905."

Klein's eyes widened. "1905?! Holy crap!"

Agil whistled. "Sheesh, and here I thought was turning into an old man."

"Dude, don't play that card. You're only in your thirties." Klein commented.

"Yeah, but I'm nearing 40." the dark-skinned man replied. "That's when you start to really get old."

"If anyone's old here, it's the cat burglar." Sinon replied. Arsene feigned hurt, a hand over where the human heart was.

"Madam, you wound me!"

"How can I wound you? You're not even human anymore." She argued.

"Heh, guilty as charged."

"Dammit, will you quit flirthing with every girl you meet!" Yuzu snapped angrily. "You did the exact same thing with Haru earlier!"

"Ah, but I haven't flirted with every girl I meet." Arsene said teasingly. "After all, I have yet to try and steal your heart, or theirs." he gestured to the other females of the group. "However, with the young one... By chance, is she one of yours?"

"Un!" Yui nodded at his question. "I'm Yui! And this is Papa and Mama!" The girl chirped as she held the hands of Kirito and Asuna respectively.

"Ho?" Arsene leaned forward, his interest piqued. "I see the laws of the betrothed are still around. Congratulations."

"Uh...thanks...?"

"Wait, hold on, what about Haru?

"She left after we defeated all the demons. The Good news is that her death clock no longer says Zero." Kazuya answered.

"How long does she have?" Klein asked.

"One day."

Everyone's faces fell. "What?" Yuzu looked disheartened. "Just one day?"

"Great, so we've got to save Dolly, Keisuke, and now Haru?!" Atsuro groaned, his hands reaching for his cap. Kazuya thought he was going to be tugging at his scalp out of frustration. "Come on, can this day get any worse!"

"Yes, it can." Arsene replied. "That is, if you jinx it."

"Shut it you!" Yuzu, Klein, and Suguha shouted at the demon.

"Wow, tough crowd."

"What can you do?" Kazuya shrugged before taking out his COMP. "Anyways, I think it might be best if you head on back. Last thing we need is someone seeing you and starting a riot."

"Hm, true." Arsene agreed. "Very well. I suppose I've had enough free time." The flaming grin reappeared on his face. "Call on me again when things get interesting." With that said, he disappeared, vanishing into the console.

Everyone remained still, their gazes locked onto Kazuya's COMP.

"Well...that was something..." The blue haired teen spoke up to break the silence.

"Never thought I'd meet a demon like that." Sinon remarked.

"No kidding." Klein said in exasperation. "Though, something tells me we should guard our wallets from now on whenever he shows up."

"Where did you even find that kind of demon, Akuma?" Agil asked curiously. Kazuya shrugged his shoulders. "At the Auction. His skills and Level were pretty good, and he was in the price range."

"Really? Then maybe we should get some more demons as well." Kirito said as he opened his COMP. "I have the feeling that as the days pass, there will be stronger demons and harder challenges waiting for us. Best we prepare ourselves."

"Just don't go blowing all your macca, 'kay Kirito?" Agil chuckled. "Still, it ain't a bad idea. Plus, we can use that Cathedral of Shadows place to get us some new, stronger ones."

Sinon nodded in agreement. "Yeah... By the way, did you guys get that e-mail about the Skill Crack?"

"Yeah." The others nodded. They received the email at the same time they received the Cathedral of Shadows message.

"Stealing an opponent's skill and making it our own...now THAT is handy."

"It's definitely gonna make our jobs easier." Klein chuckled. He looked up at the sky, noticing that it was now tinted orange, meaning that it was already getting close to nightfall. "So, what should we do now? Look around the Lockdown and see if there's a kink in the fence?"

"I'm not sure if that will do us any good. We asked around earlier, and there was no such thing. We'd just be wasting time."

"In that case, let's head back to the Shelter." Kazuya suggested. "No point in walking around aimlessly. Besides, it's getting pretty dark."

"Yeah...after everything today, time just flew on by." Kirito agreed.

"But we still didn't even figure out how to find Naoya."

"Don't forget that we also have to find Philia too." Sinon brought up.

"Yeah, we still have a lot on our agenda."

"Well, in the mean time, let's catch some shut eye." Agil suggested. "We can discuss this all tomorrow."

"Yeah." Kirito nodded in agreement. Kazuya soon followed. With that, the group made their way to the Shinjuku shelter.

XXXXXXXXXX

Philia groaned as she looked at her COMP's screen. "This had not better be a joke." she muttered, looking at the figure shown.

It was a stout Demon with blank, yellow eyes. It's body appeared to be composed of stone with bright green veins creeping around its form. It was huddled up and possessed a white cloak wrapped around its body.

The screen displayed its name: Spriggan.

"Che, that damn thing caused me so much trouble, and now it works for me?" the hooded-girl frowned. "Still, if this really is what a Spriggan looks like, I'm glad for the ALO designs." She shuddered at the very thought of imaging Kirito in the form of the Spriggan that was displayed before her.

It was mortifying, and a major turn-off.

"Well, at least I have something to help me out now." the girl said as she flipped the COMP closed. "What do I do now? Knowing Kirito, he's probably wrapped up in this mess."

Her thoughts drifted back to her friends, who were most likely still strapped in this Lockdown. "Dammit...Last time it was SAO...and now this crap happens? Just what the hell is going on in the world right now...?"

"Well, if you really want to know, kid," Philia's eyes widened, her body immediately whirling around to face the speaker. "You can say humanity is going through their second Judgement Day."

Her gaze was locked onto a man in a gray suit. His hair was short, his bangs swept to one side. He had a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Who are you?"

"Who, me?" the man chuckled. "Just think of me as... an interested third party. Never mind that, though." He leaned forward, staring at the COMP that rested in her pocket. "Looks like you've finally forged a contract with your demon. Still, how ironic that a treasure hunter has a treasure guardian as a comrade?" He chuckled. "Is everyone affiliated with the Black Swordsman so interesting?"

At this, Philia's eyes widened. She jumped and took a cautious step back. "...How do you know all that...? How do you know Kirito...?"

"Who knows?" The man shrugged.

Philia flipped out her COMP, her eyes narrowed into a glare. Instantly, the man lifted his hands into the air, a joking grin on his face. "Wa-ho, hey now. You really want to kill me? Wouldn't be the smartest idea. Besides, don't you want to know where all of your friends are?"

"And why should I trust what comes out of your mouth?!" she retorted.

"Yeowch, feisty." the man chuckled before his eyes changed. What Philia registered as mischief morphed into dark, seething anger. "Because, if you don't listen, I just might kill you and everyone close to you. Sound fair enough, girly?"

His cold, malicious tone caused her to paralyze in fear. She had faced numerous, terrifying bosses back in the Hollow Area and ALO, but the man before her was unlike any of them. His presence was slowly growing more prominent. Just by standing in front of her was enough to create an oppressive atmosphere. Just who was this man?!

However, just as quickly as that malicious form appeared did it vanish, and the man smiled slightly, slipping his hands in his pockets. "Of course, I try not to hurt little ladies such as yourself." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "You'll find your friends over at Shinjuku Park. Oh, by the way... give Kazuya Minegeshi my regards when you see him."

"What? W-wait, what are you-?!"

However, before her eyes, the man vanished as a gust of wind blew up against her, forcing her to shield her eyes. When she lowered her arms, the man was gone, as if he were never there in the first place.

The girl remained where she was, her mind racing with questions. "...Just...who was he...?" Whoever that man was...he was anything but normal.

Nevertheless, she finally had an idea of where her friends were. "That Naoya person said that I need to be fight with them if I wanted to learn more about this War of Bel thing..." she muttered under her breath as she took off out of the alley and heading straight for Shinjuku. "Hold on guys, Philia's a coming!"

She hadn't noticed that the man from earlier was watching her from above a rooftop, one leg dangling over the edge while his body remained supported with his arms behind his back. "Well, things should be pretty interesting from here on out." he said, looking over his shoulder to see someone standing next to him. "Don't you think so?"

The figure did not respond. No, it was more like he didn't need to. The man seemed to understand the silence, and grinned from ear to ear. "I can't wait to see how this plays out. I wonder just what sort of world you'll create, should you manage to survive this trial..."

For a moment, his shadow twisted, bearing twin, demonic wings.

"...Arbiter of Polaris?"

To Be Continued...

_Preview:_

"My name is Kotone, but Philia is just fine."

"Hey, they've got COMPS too! Well, ain't that fine?! Let's kill 'em all and take them for ourselves!"

"At the very least, I can protect this girl! Come forth, my demons!"

"Greetings, Arbiter... I am the Anguished One. It is a pleasure to meet you."

**Next Time: Day 2 - Unrequited Chaos**


	3. Chapter 3

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, and Persona 4: The Unseen Truth. **

**I highly recommend you check them all out. **

**I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

**Like, follow, favorite, and review. Thank you to all who continue to support this story. **

**Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!...So don't even bother. **

**Otherwise…..ENJOY!**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 2: Unrequited Chaos**

"Hooooly crap..." Kazuto groaned, rubbing his back. "Note to self, never sleep on tree roots."

Agil pulled himself up and twisted his body, letting a resounding series of cracks ring out. "Haa...I think I slept funny. My back feels like a bunch of knots."

Kazuya got up soon after, rolling his shoulder to relieve the tension from lying on the ground.

"I can't tell which part of me hurts worse, my back or my arms." he muttered. Sinon and Asuna were among the last to awaken, though the sniper looked rather grouchy.

"That...was the most uncomfortable sleep I ever had..." She scowled as she stretched her arms above her head, her back giving a satisfying pop.

"I know...are you alright Yui?" Asuna questioned her daughter.

Yui nodded, smiling brightly. "Hai, mama!" she said. "And Mr. Arsene was keeping me company!"

"Wait, Arsene?" Atsuro frowned. "Why was he out of the COMP?"

"He wasn't, per say." the small girl explained. "While I'm sleeping, I can enter a digital space called the Expanse. It's sort of like a storage space, or a HUB for demons to reside while awaiting to be summoned."

"Wow...so something like that exists for Demons?" Kirito questioned in curiosity, his previous discomfort forgotten.

"Hai." The girl nodded.

"I always wondered where they went before being summoned and when they go back." Yuzu said thoughtfully.

"Yeah...it's sort of like how we retrieve data from storage files on a computer. Man...where does Naoya even come up with these things?!" Atsuro wondered.

"I'd like to know that myself." Kazuya muttered. "How was he able to accomplish this?"

"I don't know..." Yui shook her head. "But based on the information I have acquired, Naoya-san did not create the Expanse."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean that the Expanse has always existed. Even stretching back to the far past."

"W-wait, seriously?"

"Yes. I have no evidence to support this...but from what I am able to piece together...the Expanse has existed for as long as the Universe itself."

"That long...?" Agil's jaw dropped. "Damn... Guess that means demons have been around that long too."

"Not necessarily." Yui shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

"It's possible that the Expanse was like a void in the beginning. Of course, there really isn't much to go on. The database server appears to have limited information. I'm currently registered as a guest program, you could say. I don't have much access to it." After saying this, Yui hung her head in shame. "Gomen, Papa."

"It's okay, Yui." he assured her. "It's awesome already to know you're helping us out.

"Hai..." She lifted her head in response, feeling joy in being praised by her papa.

"Well, since we're all just about up, we should probably start searching for answers today."

"Maybe the Laplace Mail will show us something." Asuna said. "It's our best lead at this point, ya know?"

"Good point. Let's check it out." The others nodded and opened up their COMPs.

**FROM: The Observer  
SUBJECT: Laplace Mail**

**Good morning. He#e is t% ay's NEWS.**

Sure.

The group steeled themselves, feeling that the news today would be the same as the previous two days. Although Kazuya, Atsuro, and Kirito noticed that the greeting seemed a bit scrambled.

"Is it just me, or it starting to get weird?" the blue-haired teen asked.

"You're not the only one." Kirito shook his head. They then proceeded to read the actual message.

"...the hell?" Those were Kirito's words as he read the message. He just stared at it in disbelief.

**1) A monster will appear in Minato-ku Shiba at 17:00. Thanks to the Shomonkai, no people will be killed by it.**

**2) At 18:00 in Toyoshima-ku Ikebukuro, over 50 people will be killed by a monster.**

**3) Throughout the day, sightings of monsters known as demons will be reported.**

**Havvvvvvve a niCE DAy**

"Fifty victimes?!" Klein exclaimed in shock. "Fuck man!"

"And that's not all." Sinon frowned. "Demons are becoming more and more common... that alone will cause panic."

"Indeed. Normal pedestrians will be attacked, demons would start fighting each other...the entire city's gonna be thrown into chaos." Agil stated.

"Not to mention it will make our search for Naoya more complicated." Atsuro agreed.

"It was complicated before." Yuzu muttered. "I mean, last time we almost found him, we ran into demons!"

"Yeah. I don't even want to think about how much harder this would be. At this rate, we'll never find him!"

"I'm sure we'll find him eventually." the Flash said in encouragement. "After all, there's no way he'd leave us without any clues as to where we can find him."

"You have a point." Sinon nodded. "I mean, if he sends us these e-mails, and leave us these clues, then he must want us to find him."

"I guess that's true." Kazuya nodded, accepting the answer. If Naoya didn't want to be found, he would've tried harder to keep away from them.

It was almost as if Naoya was testing them.

"Sheesh, this cousin of yours is a real piece a work." Klein muttered. "What I want to know is how he managed to find this damned summoning method in the first place."

"It could have been the Shomonkai." Sinon offered. "You guys did say that he was working with them."

"Yeah. It's pretty much the only lead on him we have." Atsuro nodded. "Our best bet would be to ask some of their members. It's better than just sitting here."

"Maybe we could ask Amane again?" Yuzu asked. "I mean, she's the maiden, so she's gotta know something!"

"True," Atsuro aggreed. "But will she even be able to tell us anything? I mean, the last time we tried to learn something, she said she was unable to because either she didn't know, or she was forbidden to speak at all."

"Yeah...that would be an issue." Kirito nodded. "But all this speculation is getting us nowhere. We should just head out and gather some info."

"Alright... then where should we look?" the black-haired gamer asked. "Do we ask other Shomonkai members?"

"We don't know if they actually know anything." Kazuya said. "We should just go looking, like Kazuto said."

"That seems like the best option." Agil added. "Even if we are just seeking answers blindly, sure enough, we may eventually find what we want."

"Alright, sounds like we have a plan!" Klein grinned. "So, where should we start?"

Kazuya hummed thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. "That would have been the last place we saw him... so the alleyway in Shinjuku."

"Uh...I just hope we don't run into anymore demons in that place." Yuzu groaned.

"Seconded." Suguha raised her hand.

"What's with you guys? Fighting demons means we get stronger, right?" Klein frowned. "I mean, who knows what kinda monsters we'll run into!"

Yui nodded in agreement. "Klein-san is right. Right now, your magnetite levels are pretty standard, but the power of demons is steadily increasing."

"In other words, we need to get stronger as well." Kirito stated. "Sounds good to me. Plus, we've got a lot of numbers... though I wish we knew where Philia was."

Members of the SAO Party nodded their heads in agreement. They have yet to find the treasure hunter in all this chaos. They had to see if she was alright. With demons up an about now...who knows what would happen.

However, when the name was brought up, Yui suddenly perked up her ears, her hands reaching to her temples. "Is something up, Yui-chan?" Asuna asked.

"I...I believe so. I'm...feeling a presence."

"A Presence?"

"Hai... It feels like..."

"THERE YOU GUYS ARE!"

The group stood at alert from the sound of the voice, most recognizing it while others found it unfamiliar. They all turned and saw a familiar girl with dandelion hair running up to them.

"Philia?"

There was little doubt of who they saw. It was indeed Philia, their friend and partner during SAO, as well as a skilled treasure hunter.

"I finally found you guys!" Philia smiled as she slowed her pace as she came up to them. "I swear, I looked everywhere for you all!"

"Well wasn't this a coincidence?" Kirito mused. "We were just on our way to find you. Saves us the trouble."

"Hah, trouble and you always go together." Philia told him playfully, smiling before she became serious. "Anyway, are you guys alright? You've seen those... demon things, right?"

"Yeah, and then some." Atsuro sighed. "Naoya picked a helluva time to call us up!"

"Huh?" the orange-haired girl blinked in surprise, now noticing the new faces. "Um, sorry... who are you guys?"

"Oh, let us introduce you!" Suguha clapped her hands. "This is Kazuya Minegeshi, Atsuro Kihara, and Yuzu Tanikawa, though you'd know these two guys as Akuma and AT-LOW!"

"Really? Wow...you guys look a tad different from your ALO avatars." Philia said, taking in the two males' appearances.

"Yeah, I suppose." Atsuro chuckled. "Though you look just like how your Avatar does, Philia."

"Eh, what can I say?" she shrugged before her face became serious. "Anyways, do you guys know what's going on? I've been having one hell... of... a..."

She trailed off when she noticed Yui. The small girl smiled as she waved at her. "Hello, Philia-san!"

"...um, Kirito-kun?"

The boy sighed. "Yes, Philia?"

"Am I... dreaming?"

"No, you aren't. That's really Yui... in our world."

"Ah...I see..." She nodded simply.

Then a second passed. Then two. Three. They all stood there as the words finally sunk in.

"...EH?!"

"Yep, it's really Yui." Asuna informed the girl, who was left shell-shocked. "Apparently, Kazuya's cousin, Naoya, somehow found a way to bring her here, however that works."

"...just how did your cousins ever accomplish that?!" She looked at the aforementioned teen.

Kazuya simply shrugged his shouldered, nonchalantly. "Dunno. He's just one giant genius, albeit a strange one."

"Strange isn't the word I'd use," Agil muttered. "I mean, how the hell does one learn about demons and can make software that can summon one?"

Indeed. That question was present in all their minds. If a person were capable of that, then they would have to have had Years upon years of knowledge in order to gain even a sliver of understanding of how such a thing worked.

"Come to think of it," Klein said thoughtfully. "How much do we know about this guy, other than the fact that he's Akuma's cousin?"

"Well, he's an excellent programer." Atsuro said. "In fact, he's a genius when it comes to even the most advanced software. He's been approached by several companies over the years, and he's worked on various projects, ranging from computers to programs to games, just about anything that involves tech."

"So, a hardcore computer geek." Philia summarized before looking at the blue-haired teen. "What's his story, anyway?"

Kazuya bit his lip. It was a clear sign that he was uncomfortable with talking about Naoya's past. "...he lost his parents in a car crash."

This caused the people who were unaware of his cousin's past to freeze, Kirito especially. Kazuya knew why. The raven haired teen once experienced a similar fate.

"...His...parents...?" Suguha muttered, already aware of the situation.

"Yeah, and he was only around twelve at the time. Because he had no other relatives, he came to live with us, seeing as how my aunt was my dad's younger sister. Ever since I could remember, he always treated me like I was his real little brother. He may not show it... but he does care about people. That's why I don't think that Naoya would create something so dangerous like this, especially if he knew what would happen."

"Well, like it or not," Sinon said coldly. "This program he made has demons popping up all over Tokyo, and it's getting worse by the day."

"I...I don't deny that." Kazuya couldn't find a counter argument. But he still shook his head. "But that doesn't mean that all this chaos is his doing. Naoya gave us these COMPs for a reason. There is a chance someone else may be orchestrating this."

"True, and he did mention something when we found him when all this shit started." Kirito nodded in agreement. "Maybe Naoya isn't fully responsible for this mess. I definitely recall Amane having one."

"Yeah." Yuzu nodded back. "And it looked like she knew how to use it. That means she's pretty strong, if she could handle the Wendigo."

"Technically speaking, that was Yui-chan who knocked that snowball down." Suguha pointed out to the group. Philia's eyes widened in shock as she looked at the small girl, who was smiling brightly.

"W-wait, Yui-chan can fight?!"

"Yep. She's just as strong as ever." Asuna stated proudly, recalling the time when she fought against the Boss of that dungeon.

"Saw her in action myself." Agil cracked a grin, patting the girl on the head. "She's one dangerous spitfire with that sword of hers, and she's got one mean swing, so you better stay clear."

"I...I'll take note of it."

"By the way, Philia..." Asuna tilted her head quizzically. "How did you find us?"

"Well...that's..." she was unsure if she should tell them about the strange man. She still felt the bad vibe he gave off.

And she could still recall the killing intent he let off. If she had not known any better, she would have thought she'd have looked death square in the face.

She shivered upon remembering that man, something that did not go unnoticed by her friends.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "Y-yeah, fine." she told them before she noticed Yuzu. "S-sorry for asking this so late, but... you don't play ALO, do you?"

The girl shook her head. "Nope. Never even played a single game."

"Wow, really? That's impressive. My name is Kotone, but Philia is just fine."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Yuzu Tanikawa." She smiled.

"She is also known as Yoohoo." Atsuro interjected jokingly.

"DAMMIT ATSURO!"

The girl in pink smacked the capped teen on the back of his head, eliciting a sharp 'ouch'.

Kazuya sighed. "They're always like this, don't worry about it." he told her.

"I see..." Philia replied with a sweatdrop. But she found this banter somewhat amusing. Then she turned her attention to Kirito. "So what's the plan now?"

"Our best course of action right now is to try and find some information about Naoya. We've got at least one other person trying to look for him, though we have the entire Yamanote Circle to cover..." the teen sighed. "That's a lot of ground to cover."

"Well, instead of complaining, we should probably just get going. The sooner we leave, the sooner it will be done.:

"She's got a point." Agil nodded. "Let's head out."

With their motives set, the group started their search. However, none of them, not even Yui, noticed their observer.

"...and the cogs of fate begin to turn..."

The figure let out a small grin as he started to ascend, his blue eyes looking on in amusement.

Then, as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared as if he were never there to begin with.

XXXXXXXXXX

The JSDF was still present, and still on guard by the gates.

It has been the second day of the Lockdown...and people were still trying to get through the barricade. They were all desperate to leave, but the soldiers were unable to comply with their wishes.

"Damn," Klein gaped. "The first time I've seen it, it was crazy enough, but fuck..."

Truly, it was an outstanding sight...in a bad way. Crowds of people were still trying to push through the blockade, only to be turned away. Some of the soldiers even resorted to threaten with force for the more rowdy and persistent bunches.

"Looks like everything's gone to hell pretty quickly." Agil commented. "Never thought I'd see the more ugly side of people IRL. Got enough of that in SAO."

"Amen." Asuna nodded.

As Kirito surveyed the crowd, he noticed a familiar figure walking up them. "Yo, guys." Kaido greeted. "Looks like you're still up and kicking."

"Oh, Kaido." Atsuro greeted back. "Same to you. Still, looks like things haven't settled down yet, huh?"

"Not even." the man groaned. "It's bad enough there a few dumbasses who are trying to break through, but the cops aren't making anything better. You see those guys over there?" he jabbed his thumb over at a group of people talking with an SDF guard. All of them were dressed like typical yakuza thugs. "They've been picking a fight with these guys since this morning. Wouldn't be surprised if the dude just shot 'em out of annoyance."

"I agree with you there." Kirito nodded. He knew the dark side of people...all too well...

"Well, it might be better if they did, but it cause a lot of panic." Kaido muttered before he took notice of the newcomers of the group. "Oh, looks like your grew got bigger."

"Eh?" Klein frowned. "Kirito, who's this dude?"

"This is Kaido."

Instantly, both Philia and Klein's jaws dropped, eyes wide. "K-Kaido?!" the treasure hunted gaped. "A-as in, Kaido of the Sibuya Daemons?! The dude who took down a bunch of bikers with a folding chair?!"

"Technically speaking, it was just a regular chair, not a folding one." the man corrected before he shrugged. "Eh, oh well. Anyway, yeah, the names Kaido. I'm guessing you guys are SAO heroes too?"

"More or less, yeah." Sinon nodded. "Shino Asada, but I prefer going by Sinon."

"Sinon..." Kaido raised an eyebrow before he grinned. "Ah, the famed ultimate sniper of GGO. One of my boys said he wants a rematch if you're still playing."

The girl smiled. "I'd be happy to... though your friend will just get another bullet to his head."

"Haha...Well don't tell that to his face. He'll just be pissed."

"SO what brings you here Kaido? Any luck getting past the SDF?" Atsuro asked.

"No dice." he shook his head. "They've locked this place down tight. They've even got the highways on lockdown. Plus, they've got snipers on rooftops where there aren't any fences. Meaning, if anyone makes a break for it, they'll be shot on the spot."

"W-what?!" Suguha cried in horror. The group was in a similar state. They would actually gun down anyone trying to escape?! "B-but that's just...!"

Kaido grimaced. "Yeah. Sounds like no one is allowed to leave. No exceptions. Hate to say it, but chances are, we're stuck here until this damned lockdown ends."

"Dammit. So they really are trying to keep us in here!" Kirito cursed.

"Wait, what?" Kaido questioned at the proclamation.

"Yeah, what do you mean by that, Kirito?" Klein frowned. "What's going on?"

It was Atsuro who filled them in. "Well, first off... Kaido, this might sound crazy, but have you seen monsters? I mean, like, real monsters that could pass for-"

"Demons?" Kaido finished, much to his shock. "Yeah, I've seen 'em. One of them jumped out of this thing." He slid his hand inside his pants, and removed a dark blue COMP from his pocket. "I got it from some guy who said he was in some cult, the Shomonkai or whatever the hell they were called. He'd said I'd be able to control demons with this thing." The man scowled fiercly, revealing sharp white molars. "Bastard didn't tell me I'd have to beat the shit outta it for me to make it listen."

"Hold up, you said Shomonkai." Asuna frowned. "You mean... it wasn't from a man with silver hair and red eyes?"

"Nuh-uh. The guy was wearing that orange outfit with a black coat over it, and his eyes were narrowed like he was constantly squinting."

Kazuya immediately recalled who he was speaking of. "That description... that sounds like the man who was talking with Haru yesterday."

"Wait, so are you saying...?!" Asuna realized.

"Yeah." Kirito caught on. "...It looks like the Shomonkai are intentionally spreading these COMPs. Considering Naoya worked with them, it wouldn't be impossible."

"Naoya?" Kaido frowned. "Oh, your cousin. So, he was working with these guys?"

"Yeah, and from the sound of it, he helped make the demon summoning program." Atsuro informed. "We've been trying to find him and get some answers, but..."

"Ah, that's why you asked me if I had seen him." the punk nodded in understanding. "Well, I haven't found him yet, but if he really is connected to this mess, I'd like to ask him some stuff too."

"Yeah...I think he owes us all some answers." Agil agreed.

"But..." Philia frowned "What does anyt of this have to do with the SDF keeping us here?"

"Kaido, you've seen those numbers above people's heads, right?" Kazuya asked, earning a nod. "Those are how many days left someone has to live."

"No foolin'?!" Kaido exclaimed. "Shit man.. fuck, there's a lot of people who've got some low numbers, and a lot of 'em have a zero. That ain't gonna be pretty."

"Gets worse." Kirito said with anger. "You see the SDF guys? What are they missing?"

The Gang leader's eyes widened in realization. "Dammit, you're right! They don't have those numbers! What, are you saying they won't be dying anytime soon?!"

"That's exactly right." Kazuya nodded. "We learned that people without the death clocks, those numbers, are presumed to have more than nine days to live."

"Sons of bitches..." Kaido growled. "So they got off scotch free while we sit on our asses waiting to die?! Mother fuckers!"

"Hey, language!" Asuna snapped, her hands over Yui's ears. Kaido only now noticed the child's presence. "Men... honestly!"

"Er-s-sorry..." he apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck before turning back to Kirito and Kazuya. "So... you sayin' these guys are keeping us in here on purpose?"

"Yeah, and it might have something to do with the COMPS." Atsuro nodded. "Also, apparently some people have the exact amount of days to live... meaning, on day 7, something bad is gonna happen."

"What? You mean that pretty much everyone here, save for the one who kick the bucket early, are just going to go bye-bye?"

"In one way of putting it...yes..."

"The hell..." Kaido couldn't believe it. How could he? He had just been told that, in less than five days, shit was going to go down, shit so bad that the whole Yamanote Circle would lose any and all people inside... all except for the bastards who lack the numbers in the first place. "Just what could do that? Some kinda powerful demon...?"

"We don't know for sure...but whatever it is...it's gonna be huge!" Klein blew his arms up for emphasis.

"Tch, talk about shitty." Kaido gnashed his teeth. "Alright, so your cousin's supposed to know something, or at least one of these dudes in the Shomonkai, right?" He nodded. "Alright, I'll have my boys start amping up the search."

"We appreciate it." Suguha told him. "Thank you, Kaido-san."

"Heh, no thanks necessary." he grinned. "After all, gotta do what we can, right? Anyway, I need to jet. Stay alive, ya hear me, Kirigaya?"

"You too." Kirito nodded. With a wave, Kaido left the group, leaving them to speak amongst themselves.

"Man...I feel as if things are going from bad to worse at an accelerated rate."

"Ain't that the truth, Kirito-kun." Agil muttered. "Hell in a handbasket... a very big handbasket."

"Must be a big basket then." Klein said dryly. "Anyway, since Kaido's gonna be working on finding Naoya, do you think we should try to look for that Shomonkai dude that he mentioned?"

"It sounds like the only lead we have, other than Amane." Yuzu said. "And it's more reasonable to ask her, seeing as how they both appear to be members. And judging from his description, whoever this guy passing out COMPS is, he must be high up. So far, all the Shomonkai members I've seen all have their hoods on. The only ones that don't are Amane and her father."

"Good point, Yoohoo." Atsuro smiled. "Man, I'm surprised you could come up with a connection that fast." However, after saying that, he became disheartened. "Although... I wonder if it really will be that easy."

"Yeah...The Shomonkai may be spreading COMPs, but that doesn't mean they will be easy to find. Who knows where or when one would show up?"

"Well, we're not getting anywhere just standing around." Sinon said. "Let's get moving."

XXXXXXXXXX

Amane wasn't sure whether she should felt afraid or relieved by the presence that stood before her. "...I see." she closed her eyes. "You are... neither human, nor demon. But nor are you angel. You... are not a normal existence, are you?"

The being before her merely smiled in response. He had the form of a thin, lanky teenager garbed in red shoes, slim, black pants, and a buttoned shirt with a red and black striped pattern slanted inward down the center. His hair was as white as snow and rather messy. Even his eyelashes were white. His steely blue eyes were open in amusement and intrigue.

"I am... a curious existence." the young man stated enigmatically. "Or, at least, that was how Naoya Minegeshi had described me as. However, it would appear that I am not the only one that is not a normal existence, Amane Kuzuryu."

The woman's gaze was impassive, harboring no ill-will, nor anger, not even suspicion. She merely held resignation. "So, you are capable of seeing Remiel."

"Rightfully so." The man tilted his head. "However... you also harbor one of the Bels as well. Such a confusing being you are, even among the rarest of humans, harboring both an angel and a demon within yourself."

"...my reasons are that of my own and my fathers. I see no motive to explain to you." She stated calmly.

"Fair enough" the man shrugged, still wearing a serene smile.

"However, you do realize that such a conflict cannot go on forever, do you not?" Amane closed her eyes, nodding silently. "...you are aware of the risk, yet you do not falter, even for a moment." The man's smile became more bright. "How marvelous... humans have truly become something all on their own."

Amane opened her eyes, and stared at the man before her in confusion. "You speak of humans with such tenderness and care... Do you hold us in high regard?"

"Indeed, I do."

"...And why is that?" Amane could only question. Why was the being before her so interested in her kind?

"...It's because of the potential you all possess..." The being slowly moved and floated around her. "For a long time...man was left in the darkness. But when they discovered the light that is fire, they had begun to evolve, adapt, and progress. In a short time, you rose from the earth and constructed the finest civilizations. Even when those civilizations fell, mankind never faltered and continued to pursue their ideals. Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, The Chinese Empire, Kingdoms, the list goes on. None of you ever stopped to evolve. You have the potential to transcend your limits."

Amane was surprised as she stared at him. Truly, when he appeared before her, as if from thin air, she immediately sensed that he was not an ordinary being. He was something far beyond any mere demon, but he lacked the divine presence the angels possessed. If he was neither demon nor angel, then what was he? The knowledge and presence and power he held before her were certainly not of human origin.

"...what are you?" she questioned out of curiosity.

The man merely offered her a gentle, yet sad smile, so easily reflected in his icy blue eyes. "I am the Anguished One. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Anguished One...?" The girl let the name roll off her tongue. She didn't know why but...she felt...pity for this being.

"Tell me, Amane Kuzuryu..." the Anguished One brought her out from her thoughts as he looked up at the blue sky, his arms folded across his chest. "Do you believe in Divine Providence?"

"Divine Providence...?" she raised an eyebrow. This was the fist she's heard of such a thing. However, by the tone of his voice, it must be something significant.

"A being that defines all things, that controls all things." he spoke. "Something that defines what an existence is. Humans have grown splendid, but to Providence... they have strayed from the path. You've grown to be beings who can stand upon your own two feet, but you have become biased and warped by the seed in your hearts, the seed that has bloomed beautifully..." A downcast expression fell on his face as he lowered his head, looking at Amane with sadness. "Yet it sees only a threat to it's order. Tell me, if you were in this being's position, controlling the lives of all things within your domain as you see fit... What would you do if those beings strayed from their intended purpose?"

Amane grew silent, unable to form a real answer. What would she do? She wasn't God. She didn't have the right to alter the fate of such individuals. It...It just wasn't right.

"You cannot form an answer," the Anguished One surmized. "Because you feel it is not right to be able to decide the lives of other beings." A smile once again formed on his face, this one lacking this sadness. "...I can see you hold humanity's best interests in mind. Perhaps that is why Remiel has taken up residence within you. Now, it is only the question of whether or not humanity will prove itself by surpassing this trial."

Amane's eyes widened for a moment, but this feeling subsided. This being held knowledge... knowledge of unsurpassed existence. She did not know what sort of knowledge this was, but the extent must have been far beyond what she herself, or any humans knew. Therefore, he knew of it... he knew why this lockdown was taking place.

"You know of the War of Bel."

The Anguished One nodded. "Yes... I am also aware that Kazuya Minegeshi is the human world's Bel, and therefore, humanity's representative in this struggle. It is unprecedented that a human Bel has been able to take part in the war, but the fact that he is even here is proof of that." A chuckle escaped him. "You humans never cease to amaze me."

Amane now grew wary. She realized this man was not human...but he knew too much of the current state of affairs. She couldn't just ignore him. But...she had no idea what the man was capable of.

"You may relax, Amane Kuzuryu," he told her as his body began to float, his slender form outlined by a blue aura. "I hold no intention of intervening in this war... I merely act as an observer. After all, the Arbiter is involved in this war."

Amane frowned. "Arbiter?"

"Yes." The man nodded. "A being you are already aware of."

"What do you mean? Who?" She tried to question him before he left.

"You will find out soon."

The purple haired girl just stared at the empty space where the man had disappeared. "Anguished one...who are you...?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, Kaido wasn't kidding when he said they had locked down the highways." Atsuro sighed. "There are guards all along the entire route. There's even a few snipers around."

The group had toured around the perimeter of Tokyo. But all they saw at the city's borders were blockades, guards, trucks, and snipers. Everything was locked up tight. It really grated them.

"Ugh, this stinks!" Philia shouted in frustration. "Why does the government have to be so damned tight-lipped?!"

She didn't expect her answer to come up from behind, or a stranger to answer it. "That's just how things are, little lady." The group turned to see a man dressed in a gray suit walking toward them, his dark blonde hair swept neatly into a professional style with gray, cold eyes like steel. It was obvious he was a business man of some sort by his attire. "Practically every exit is blocked. Even the subway routes are locked down tight."

"I-is that so...?" Yui frowned. The man smiled somewhat as he bent down, patting her on the head.

"Heh, don't worry. I'm sure this whole thing blows over... or at least, so I hope." he said as he stood back up. "Sorry for sneaking up on you kids like that. I'm Yasayuki Honda. Nice to meet you."

"You as well." Kirito nodded back. "I'm Kazuto Kirigaya, but everyone calls me Kirito."

"Kazuya Minegeshi." the blue-haired teen nodded back in greeting. "It's a pleasure."

The group followed suit. At the end, Honda was impressed with the size of the group. "Quite the large group you have." he said. "Then again, it's always important to stay together, especially when you have all of these monsters around."

Asuna became disturbed by his words. "So... you've seen them too?"

Honda nodded grimly. "Yes, I have... not a pretty sight." It was then that he noticed what they were call carrying. Kirito instantly noticed the strange recognition that passed through his eyes. "Oh? You guys play games, even in times like this?"

"Well...I guess you could say that." Kirito quickly spoke up. "Will all this madness going on...it wouldn't hurt to just forget about everything. But that doesn't mean we are ignorant of what's going on. It's just a break from reality to save our sanity." The others looked at him for the answer, but most realized what he was talking about. He was making up an excuse to prevent the man from learning what their COMPs were for.

"Well, can't blame you." Honda nodded. "Well, if we figure some things out, why don't we exchange info?"

"Really?" Atsuro quirked an eyebrow, suspicious. "Even though we just met?"

Honda laughed, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess that is presumptuous of me, isn't it?" he said. "Well, you kids take care."

The group looked on as the man left.

"...Well, that guy was strange." Klein spoke first.

"More like creepy if you ask me." Sinon said blankly. "Also, did you see the way he looked at our COMPS? Seemed to me like he probably knew what they were."

"Yeah, it did, didn't it?" Atsuro said. "And the fact that he saw demons, and still looked so composed, probably means he's a Demon Tamer too."

Yui nodded. "Hai, Atsuro-san. He held a COMP on his person."

"Whoa, you can detect people who have COMPS, Yui-chan?!" Suguha said, amazed. "That's amazing!"

The girl blushed from the praise. "W-well, since all COMPS are directly linked to the server, they all have the Expanse storage space. The Expanse emits a certain frequency, which also spreads out from the COMP even if it were inactive. That's what lets me tell normal COMPS from altered ones."

"I see. That will definitely help if we're to trace the Shomonkai, considering they have the most altered COMPs in possession. Good job Yui." Kirito thanked his daughter, a hint of pride in his voice.

Yui giggled in delight, happy from the praise. The group also smiled. Having Yui around certainly had it's advantages. Now they could tell who held altered COMPs, from ordinary people to Shomonkai, and to yakuza.

"So, Yui's got a built-in COMP tracker, right?" Klein asked for confirmation. "In that case, is there anyone nearby that has a COMP? other than that Honda guy, I mean."

"Hold on a moment..." Yui placed her hands against her tempes, closing her eyes. A moment later, she opened them. "Hm... that's strange."

"What?" Kazuya asked. "What is it?"

"I'm detecting an abnormally large number of COMPs nearby... and they're all grouped together."

"Grouped together...do you think it could be the Shomonkai?" Asuna questioned.

"That's a possibility, given that they have the most COMPs to out knowledge. However, we can't be for sure." Sinon stated.

"Well, I say we go. Either way, we need to find out."

"Yeah." Agil nodded in agreement. With that, the group left.

XXXXXXXXXX

Keisuke wasn't sure if he should have abandoned the girl when he had the chance, or just told her to leave him alone.

"Thank you for saving me from those guys back there!" the girl in the cosplay outfit told him with an earnest smile, bright, cheery and infectious. "I'm Midori!"

"I-I'm Keisuke..." He responded in kind. "...It's nice to meet you."

"Keisuke, huh..." Midori giggled. "Well, thanks again! I seriously thought those guys were going to do something bad." The girl shuddered at the thought. "H-hey, um... do you know any safe places around here?"

"Well...considering the present state of affairs, I don't know if there IS a safe place here..." He said in regret.

It was true, given the situation. Not only was there the possibility of the SDF keeping them locked down tight on purpose, but there was also the fact that demons were roaming around. Perhaps it was possible for a safe haven to exist... but that all depended on the people there in the first place.

"Seriously?" she asked, a sadness appearing in her eyes. "Aw..."

Keisuke shifted uncomfortably in his place. Oddly, he couldn't stand her seeing like this. "W-well... I do know one place."

"R-really?" she asked with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah..." Keisuke really didn't want to disappoint her.

"AWESOME!" the brown-haired teen stepped back from the loud cheer. One moment she was sad like a puppy dog, and now she looked as bright and giddy as a child. Was this what Atsuro meant by girls being so confusing that you couldn't figure them out? "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

He sweat dropped. "N-no problem..." he said before he felt his COMP shake in his pocket. He instantly knew what it was, and sighed quietly.

'Even my own demons are laughing at me...'

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hehehehehehehe..."

Elsewhere in the city, a group of men were gathered around. All of them were dressed in the typical outfits one would see a yakuza wore, a few of them dressed in fine suits. The leader of the group was a bald man in a white suit, a lit cigar in his mouth, which formed into a grin as he held a white COMP in his hands.

"So, you saying that there are some dudes in orange passing these out?" the man asked in a gruff voice, turning to his subordinate. The man nodded with his own twisted grin. "Heh, this makes things pretty damn easy." He looked to the group. "Alright, find every COMP you can get your hands on, ya hear?!"

"Yes sir!" His subordinates cried in agreement. They all endeavored to partake in this task. They knew the power the COMPs held...all were eager to relish in their power.

"Good. Now move out!"

Before they could move, however, a loud voice shouted at them from behind. "What the hell are you bastards doing?!"

The man turned, and quirked an eyebrow. "The hell? A bunch of snot-nosed kids and a pint-sized brat?"

Yui was obviously miffed at the remark, puffing her cheeks. "Hey!"

Kirito growled at them. "What do you intend to do with those COMPs?"

The bald man was surprised, but then noticed the object in their hands. "Well well... look what we got here." he said maliciously. "Some brats with a couple of games... talk about luck."

The group continued to glare at them, not liking the look in the man's eye.

The Gang leader turned to his subordinates. "Look alive, men! Looks like the COMPs we want just fell into our laps!"

Instantly, all of them gathered closer, fanged grins clear in their faces. Klein scowled. "Son of a...!"

"Hahaha! This is great! Now I'll have even more COMPs!" The bald man cackled. He then whipped out the device in his hand. "Now hand them over! Get'em Orobas!"

A blue pillar of light appeared before the man, soon dispersing into a being that resembles a red anthropomorphic horse.

"Looks like we found a couple of wanna-be's..." Sinon sighed before she took out her own COMP. "Alright, Kama, let's get to work."

Yuzu immediately became bug-eyed, staring at the girl in disbelief as she back-pedaled from the sheer gaze of the leer the red-hoarse was giving them. "Y-you really want to fight these guys?!" she shouted. "T-that's crazy! W-we could get killed!"

"No, Shino's got the right idea." Atsuro said, glaring back at them as he took out his own COMP. "These guys are seriously pissing me off! Come on, Garm!"

Instantly, the two's demons emerged. The Hindu archer sat atop his parrot, bow in hand, while a new demon took to Atsuro's side. It was a beastial-like canine with red scaled skin and three lashing tails, bearing sharp white fangs and glowing, cold blue eyes. Around its neck was a spiked collar.

"Whoa! Were did you get that guy?!" Klein questioned in surprise.

"I got him from the Demon Auction. I had some Macca to spare, so why not?" Atsuro shrugged.

"He has the right idea." Kazuya agreed. "The demons we had previously weren't able to compare to the one's we're currently facing. So it was a good idea to stock up on Stronger demons. Let's go, Arsene!"

The infamous thief emerged from the COMP, spreading his black-like wings. "aaaaaah...!" he sighed, relishing his temporary freedom from the COMP. "Fresh air...!"

"Glad to see you enjoying yourself." The azure haired boy commented.

The yakuza members summoned their demons as the group brought out their own arsenal. Philia's demon stood in front of her, hunched over like a certain hideous character from the Frankenstein novel, it's golden eyes leering out at them, it's huge frame standing between the two with a certain protectiveness over Philia.

"WON'T." Spriggan declared in a booming, distorted voice. "TOUCH. TREASURE!"

"Whoa! Is that your Demon, Philia?!" Suguha questioned in surprise. She didn't expect something so...unique.

"Yep," the treasure hunter sighed. "And he's supposedly a Spriggan fairy too. Thank god for ALO, right?"

"Amen." Klein commented as Rakshasa appeared behind him, brandishing his scimitars with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Alright, feel free to let loose!"

If the demon had a mouth, it would have been grinning. "Been waiting to hear that from ya!"

"Let's go, Gozuki!" Agil summoned his demon. The bull headed fighter flared his nostrils at the notion of battle.

"Yosh!"

Yuzu groaned in frustration. "Ah, what the hell!" she cried out as her COMP flaired to life. "Let's go, Pixie!" In response to her call, the small fairy emerged, a playful grin present on her face as electricity danced around her palms. Asuna and Suguha followed suit.

"C'mon out, Oberon!"

"Here we go! Cait Sith!"

The king of fairies appeared before the younger Kirigaya. In contrast to the son of a bitch that trapped many SAO survivors in ALO for his fucked up schemes, this Oberon was a gentlemanly figure with a pale complexion, long black hair and garbed in a red princes outfit. A rapier hung by his side while butterfly wings fluttered behind him.

In front of Asuna was a purple, bipedal cat wearing red boots, a belt with a sword at his hip, a red cape, and a red hat. One would mistake him for the character Puss n Boots.

"Meow!" the cat flourished his saber before placing it before his face. "I'll show you a purr-fect swordplay, you illiterate dogs! MEOW!"

Oberon sighed, face-palming as he looked at the cat. "honestly, Sith-dono..." the fairy king asked, his tone regal yet polite and charming. "Must you be so tactless? There's no reason to belittle yourself." He glared at the yakuza thugs in front of them. "Especially for mere buffoons such as these."

The gang leader felt a tick mark pulsate atop his brow, snarling. "The fuck did you just call me, you piece of shit?!"

Kirito grinned. "Ooh, nice one!" he praised as he turned to Suguha. "Definitely better than ALO's Oberon, huh?" His sister figure giggled in response before Kirito flipped open his COMP. "Alright, Hagen! Center stage!"

A flash of light flourished before Kirito before it took on a solid form. What stood before the Black Swordsman was a warrior clad in black, a breast-plate shielding his chest while his arms remained unprotected. At his arms were thick black gloves, and in his hands, a blade clad in a silver sheathe. His face was dark and gray, his sole visible eye a burning golden, while the rest of him was left obscured by a black hat bearing a thin, opaque veil. Below, he had on metal-plated boots that reached up to his calves, and red straps hanging on either side of his belt.

The others stood in amazement while Yui, Suguha, and Asuna giggled, noticing how similar the two looked in terms of clothing.

The Burgundian warrior gave the yakuza a solemn, seathing glare at the yakuza. The intensity was enough to make them tremble, while the leader glared back, only slight intimidated. "The hell you lookin' at, freak?!"

"...Kirito-sama." Hagen spoke, his voice cold and deep like a blade's sharp edge. "You called for me?"

"Yeah, Hagen." Kirito nodded. I need you to take care of these guys."

"Consider it done...!" The warrior unsheathed his sword.

"Che, buncha brave little brats, huh?" the gang leader snarled. "Fine then! Come on boys!"

"Yeeeeaaaah!" The gang member cheered in agreement as they charged forward, their random batch of demons trailing behind.

And the two forces clashed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Captain Fushimi, I have the latest report." Izuna reported as she approached her commanding officer, saluting him. The man nodded back as he continued to survey the area. The sector they were tasked with guarding was a underground route that normal cars were normally not allowed to use. The entire road was paved with scars and clawmarks and burns and slashes, as if a battle had taken place here recently. Littering the roads were several cars, all totalled and wrecked beyond recognition. Chances were, they would not function anytime soon.

"...alright, let's hear it, Izuna."

"Hai, sir." the red-haired Lieutenant nodded. "At approximate 0200 hours ago, several demon attacks have been reported. All of them resulted in few casualties, due to interference from the Shomonkai. As we suspected, they were using demons as well, and according to eye-witness accounts, all of them were carrying what looked to be a game-console."

Fushimi sighed. "I see..." he muttered heavily. "So, the Demon Summoning Program was installed into the COMPs' software after all, as Mr. Hotsuin suspected."

"That appears to be the case." Izuna continued. "However, there were also skirmishes between those who were not of the Shomonkai. They were all commanding demons. Chances are, they too came into possession of the COMPs. However, there is one, strange report here."

Fushimi raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

The woman pulled out the report she had gotten and read its contents aloud, voicing her confusion.

"According to one eye-witness account, civilians witnessed a man wipe out several stray demons. Given the Magnetite readings in the specified area, they had likely emerged from a COMP that has been left active for an extensive period of time. However, the strange part, sir... is that this man wiped out all the demons by himself, with no help at all."

Fushimi hummed in intrigue. "A single man wiped out several demons, all at once... He must be experienced."

"That's just it, sir." Izumi said, her face serious. "He had no COMP anywhere on his person. And he had no demons with him either."

"What?!" The Commander questioned in shock. The individual eradicated the demons without any outside assistance? That...shouldn't be possible! The Demons were far too powerful for any normal human to handle without the aide of the altered COMPs.

"Given that there were only one or two civilians who saw it, we can't exactly say for sure, but we were able to get a description." the red-haired woman informed him. "White hair, blue eyes, and wears a black and red v-striped jacket.

"I see...So there were no other sightings of this individual?"

"Negative, sir." Izuna shook her head.

Fushimi bit his lip. An individual that could defeat demons without any outside help, much less using a COMP? Was that even possible? Or... was it simply a sign of things to come?

"...Keep an eye out for this individual." Fushimi decided. "For know, we'll refer to him as UNKNOWN-1. In the meantime, what's the situation report regarding the Bels?"

"Beldr is showing signs of activity, meaning that, by JP's estimates, he will manifest tomorrow." Izumi reported. "Belial remains inactive, and Beelzebub is still somewhere in the Hills area. We've yet to confirm Jezebel's whereabouts, but she has definitely manifested already, much like Beelzebub. Belberith has not yet manifested either, though this is to be expected, given how low the Magnetite readings are. He will likely appear on the deadline."

"...I see...this is definitely troubling." The man silently cursed. Was mankind really going to go through this trial? All for what? To determine which demon succeeds the Throne? As well as the Angels seeking to eradicate the demons during this period?

Why...what had humanity done to deserve this?

"...sir?"

"It's nothing, Izuna." Fushimi dismissed her. "I'm simply... dealing with unpleasant thoughts. Anyway, have we confirmed whether or not the sixth Bel has manifested yet?"

"No, we have not." the woman shook her head. "However, according to a report submitted by Makoto Sako, chances are the Bel of the human world won't manifest unless he were to defeat one of the Bels himself. His best chance at manifesting would likely be when Beldr manifests tomorrow."

"So our best bet would be to wait until tomorrow to determine the human candidate for the war?"

"Indeed..."

"...Our people's lives are at risk and we are unable to do anything at present!" His hands were clenched tightly into fists. He was frustrated. They lack information to make sense of the situation, and are unable to interfere with the present state of affairs.

It pissed him off with how things were going. To him, it felt as if the angels had screwed them over with this whole ordeal, and the demons were not making things any better.

"...dammit, I'm getting too old for this shit."

XXXXXXXXXX

"URRRAAAAGH!"

The thug was sent flying across the street, his body sliding across the black asphault as Hagen sheathed his blade, giving a mere 'hmph' in reply as if satisfied. Then, his body disappeared into blue light, flowing into the COMP. Kirito smiled in appreciation for his demon's work before he slammed his foot down on the system at his feet.

The COMP shattered into tiny bits.

"Last one, guys!" he called out to them as they dismissed their demons.

"Whew...that took forever!" Klein complained as he rolled his shoulders to loosen them. He had to admit, those gangsters were pretty persistent in fighting.

"Technically, it only took fifteen minutes at most." Yui commented.

"You know what I mean, Yui-chan." the older man sweat-dropped. "Anyway, where the hell did these guys get so many COMPs? Moreover, how did they even get them in the first place?!"

"I'm not sure...But this is all unsettling." Kazuysa shook his head.

Kirito knew how he felt. It was bad enough if someone got a COMP and let that power go to their head... but mobsters in possession of it?

That was a scary thought, in and itself.

People like them had a tendency to abuse the power they have, making the lives of other people hell and not have a care for it.

"This is bad news." Agil said in disturb. "Where did these guys get these COMPs?"

"They mentioned something about dudes in orange, so maybe the Shomonkai?" Klein offered. "I mean, who else besides Naoya has 'em?"

"Hm, true..." Sinon nodded. "And according to Kaido, someone in the Shomonkai wearing a black coat was passing them out. He might be the one we're looking for."

"The problem is where to start looking. Yui may be able to track altered COMPs, but if the Shomonkai really are distributing them, then who knows how many are out right now? We may not even be able to trace them back to the source." Asuna commented.

"Damn, you're right..." Yuzu groaned. "And who knows how many have gone power crazy with it?"

"And that's not all." Kazuya added. "They can see the Death Clock as well. It won't take them long to figure out what those numbers mean, and when they realize how much time everyone, including themselves, have..."

His silence filled the void. It would be utter chaos. Panic and rioting from those with demons, desperation and fear would run rampant, and everything would go to hell in mere minutes. It would be even worse when they would start attacking the SDF.

And who knows what would happen then. All in all, it was not a pretty thought.

"We have to stop this before it happens...!" Kirito broke the silence with resolution. "We can't let this madness become another Death Game! We're all here...We will survive this!"

Fellow SAO Survivors smiled and grinned in response while Atsuro and Kazuya nodded strongly. Yuzu was hesitant at first, but she nodded as well with fierce eyes. She didn't want to die... and neither would she allow her friends to die either. They were too important to her... all of them were.

"Damn straight!" Klein shouted in agreement. "A lot of us already went through, and so did our families! No way in hell are we letting another situation like that happen again, especially if we can help it!"

"What he said." Sinon said, nodding. "I may have been around only for the endgame... but that sure as hell isn't gonna stop me from shoving an arrow up the ass of whoever's responsible."

"Get in line, Sinon." Agil grinned. "Kirito's made it clear he called first dibs."

Philia sighed. "Something tells me he's gonna do another suicidal tendency."

Suguha smiled. "But that's what we like about Kazuto."

"I think I wouldn't have him any other way." Asuna giggled.

Yui nodded. "Hai! If anyone can stop this, it's Papa!"

Atsuro chuckled, flicking his nose. "Well, guess we're on board, right?" he asked, turning to Yuzu and Kazuya. The blue-haired teen smiled back at Kirito.

"...let's survive this." he said. "Together."

Kirito nodded back, smiling equally. "Yeah. Lets."

It was a heart-warming moment... of how all of them came together. It was a moment of unity, of purpose coming into a singular form. However, that was not all there was to it. There was more than that... it was a bond. A bond between those who endured hardship, and those who had seen first-hand the level of the dark brutality of a world laid with eyes unseen.

It was a peaceful moment for them. A moment they enjoyed. Truly, this was the first time any of them had come together.

...then, the moment was ruined by the sound of hands clapping together.

"Marvelous," a voice called out from behind them. "Truly marvelous. To come together with such iron-clad resolve, in so short a time... Man has indeed progressed far in all these years. It's beautiful to see, indeed."

The group spun around to face the source of the voice. It was an individual none of them expected to see. Even Philia was confused by the being's sudden appearance.

The white haired young man, the Anguished One looked at each of them with Pride and admiration in his eyes.

"W-what the hell?!" Klein shouted in shock as they prepared their COMPs. "When did this guy...?!"

Yui frowned heavily as she gave the mysterious being a scrutinizing gaze. "I couldn't sense him at all... and he's not carrying a COMP, either."

The Anguished One smiled at her. "Very astute of you, Mental Health Program Yui." he said, taking everyone by surprise. "I do not possess a Communication Player, nor do I have a need for one." He then turned his head. "Greetings Arbiter...I am the Anguished One. It is a pleasure to meet you." He bowed to them.

The words were directed at Kirito, who blinked in confusion. Arbiter? Anguished One? Who the hell was this guy? Moreover, how did he know what Yui was?! And how did he appear so suddenly?!

"...who are you?" he asked wearily. The Anguished One merely offered a smile once again.

"As I said... I am the Anguished One. Nothing more, and nothing less. That is all I am." he stated mysteriously. "As to how I know of her existence... You may thank Mental Health Program, Strea, as well as Naoya Minegeshi, for informing of her, as well as to how she is able to materialize here in the real world."

This instilled alarm in the group. Strea...? Naoya...?!

"Wait, Strea?! Naoya?! You know them?! WHere are they?!"

"Naoya Minegeshi is in the Shinjuku area as we speak." the Anguished One informed them. "As for Miss Strea... I'm afraid she cannot yet show herself to you all... not at present."

Kirito did not like his answer. "The hell does that mean?!" he shouted. "Dammit, who the hell are you?! And what did you mean by you're part of why Yui's here?!"

"Even with all the knowledge Naoya Minegeshi possesses, it would still be inefficient to use Magnetite to make a simple health program, even if one as complex as Miss Yui, into a living thing composed of Magnetite and Data. All that was needed was the help of a demon with immense power and knowledge... and one who exists as neither demon nor angel, but exists beyond the plane of man."

This silenced them as well. What...was this guy talking about? Was he saying that Naoya made Yui Real out of a Demon and Magnetite?

"...what does that mean?"

The being just shrugged. "I am afraid. It is not my place to say...for now..."

Kirito was becoming angry. "Give me some straight answers dammit!" he snarled as he ran forward with his arm reared back-

-only to come to a screeching halt when a pillar of flames erupted before him, causing him to stumble back to his behind. The group immediately grew shocked and horrified by what they saw, immediately running to Kirito's side to see if he was alright. The Anguished One remained where he was, but a look of disapproval and quiet anger flashed across his eyes as he looked to his left.

"...Bifrons?"

The demon beside him was humanoid, dressed in a fine pinstripe black suit with an overturned white collar and a lacy black tie, however it's head was a skull-and inhuman. It bore sharp fangs with an elongated mouth, empty sockets that flickered with amusement, and dreadlocks for hair. In it's gloved hand was a lit, and overflowing candelabrum.

"What?" the demon asked, shrugging its shoulders. "That brat was annoying me!"

The Anguished One glared at the demon. Immediately, the amusement in it's sockets died away, fading to fear. Its form trembled.

"...okay, I won't do that again."

"See to it that you follow through with that vow." His glare only intensified. "Otherwise I will not hesitate to erase your existence."

"Y-Yes milord!" The Demon bowed in confirmation. "It shall not happen again!"

With that, the demon vanished. However, unlike others, it did not disperse in light. Rather, it simply vanished with a torrent of wind. The group was left stunned. 'What was that just now?!' Kazuya thought in shock. 'Demons don't disappear like that... and the way he commanded that demon... it definitely wasn't the typical relationship between a demon and a Demon tamer. It was like one between a being of a lower level and a being of a higher level...'

"...Anguished One," the blue-haired teen spoke with a leveled gaze. "Who are you?"

The man merely offered the youth a sad smile. "I am one who has watched humans for eons, watching them grow into those who would take destiny into their own hands." His smile faded afterwards, becoming a solemn look. "Know this, however... the War of Bel is but one trial you shall face, Arbiter. By the dusk of tomorrow, you will see for yourself just what this war will bring... and what your actions shall create."

"Our...Actions...? What do you mean?" Kazuya asked again.

"You will know the answer tomorrow...Until then, do you best to survive today's misfortunes."

With that, the man vanished.

"...Dammit! Who was that guy?!" Klein cursed, voicing their thoughts.

Kirito's mouth curled into a growl as he slammed his fist into the asphault below him. "He knew where Strea was!" he snapped out of frustration. "Dammit all!"

"Kirito-kun..." Asuna gently placed a hand on his shoulder. She was frustrated by this as well. But she had to get him to calm down. One is unable to form coherent answers when enraged.

It was understandable why he was angry, however.

She had a strong impulse to find that man and slap him in the face...hard.

"Whoever the hell he was, he obviously knew what the hell was going on." Agil said, his features set into a heavy scowl of his own. "And he obviously ain't know pushover... That demon he had was no joke."

"Yeah." Sinon nodded. "It was obviously powerful."

"That was Bifrons, a member of the Fallen Race." Yui informed. "He's recorded as one of the 72 demons of Solomon's Key. As a member of the Fallens, any who fall by his hand will have their life essence stripped of them, which in turn will heal him." Her face became one of worry. "However... he is far beyond our level. I don't understand. Why is a demon so strong here?"

"I'm more worried about that weird guy." Suguha voiced her opinions. "He didn't seem human at all... especially if he made something as strong as that thing scared enough to be shaking in his boots"

"Yeah..." Sinon agreed. "...If this Bifrons was supposed to be a powerful demon, then this guy must be insanely powerful."

"It's definitely possible...but the question is WHAT that guy was. He was obviously not human. Was he really a demon?" Atsuro asked.

"No, it didn't seem like it..." Kazuya shook his head. "When we face demons, you can feel their malice, but with him... I couldn't sense any of it. And he mentioned something about him being neither demon nor angel, but something above humans."

"Yeah, he did say that." Yuzu nodded before her eyes lowered. "He called himself the Anguished One, right? Was it just me... or did he seem really sad when he was talking about our potential?"

"No, I agree with you there." Sinon stated. She wasn't the only one. All of them took note of the solemn expression he had.

"He also knew about Strea, Naoya, and Yui-chan too." Philia added with a troubled look. "And what did he mean about Yui?"

Atsuro, who had been thinking deeply about the conversation, suddenly looked up with realization. "...I think I might have an idea." The group stared at him in confusion. "According to Yui, demons are composed of magnetite, right? And when we defeat demons, Magnetite flows into us, and helps us grow stronger, and lets us acquire new skills along the way. When Yui was installed into Kirito's COMP, the file data read: MAG-Version 00.1 Mental Health Program YUI."

Kirito was the first to realize what Atsuro was getting at. "A-Atsuro... are you saying that Yui-chan's here because she's-?!"

"Yeah... That file didn't just turn data to flesh and allow her to wield enough mojo to take out several demons. It literally summoned her AS a demon."

Everyone fell to silence at the revelation. Yui...a Demon...? They all looked to the young girl, who's expression remained leveled, yet a tad sad.

"...Atsuro, if this is a joke..." asuna said, her voice having gone cold. "...it's not even remotely funny."

"No," Yui shook her head. "AT-LOW is right, Momma."

Kirito stared at his daughter in shock. "Y-Yui..."

"I'm sorry, Papa..." Yui lowered her head. "I didn't tell you or Momma because... I-I..." the girl sniffled, tears prickling at her eyes. "I th-thought you would..."

Her body went rigid when Kirito wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "I don't care!" he told her, his head buried in her small shoulder, tears of his own streaming down his face. "I don't care if you're here because you're a demon, Yui-chan! You-you're... your our daughter, dammit...!"

"That's rights," Asuna wrapped her arms around Yui as well, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You will ALWAYS be our precious daughter, Yui. It doesn't matter if you are real or not... or if you are a demon or not. We still love you with all of our hearts. Nothing will change that...nothing!"

"P-papa..." Yui smiled through her tears, her tiny arms snaking around her parent's necks. 'M-momma...!"

"Yui!" Both parents hugged their daughter tighter, unwilling to let her go. Everyone watched this heartwarming scene with smiles on their faces.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kaido was pissed. No, scratch that... he was absolutely livid.

For starters, he was unable to walk two blocks without some random bastard demanding he hand over his COMP, even resorting to force. Then these Demons appear out of nowhere and try to kill him, only for the Leader to make short work of them later.

Don't get him wrong. Titan was a powerhouse, but dealing with so much shit in one day is enough to make a guy antsy, especially with what he learned from that SAO guy and his crew.

"Locking us up in cages like motherfuckers..." he growled angrily. "Who the hell do they think we are?!"

He openly cursed the SDF. He had every right to. They were keeping everyone in the dark and locked them up in the Yamanote-Circle.

He didn't know why they were doing this, but it certainly pissed him off to no end.

His sentiments were shared by the members of his crew. They were all itching to find out just what the hell was going on!

That being said, it seemed like the only one who really knew anything was that Kazuya guy's cousin, Naoya. It seemed like he knew something, obviously relating to this stuff.

Now he had another reason to search for the guy. He needed answers. And Naoya looked like a prime candidate.

He wouldn't forget to contact Kazuya if he found his cousin. But he needed to question him first.

The real question... was where to find him.

"The guys are looking all over the circle, but so far, nothing." Kaido mumbled to himself. "The only places we haven't checked are Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and the rest of the eastern ward. That's still a shit ton of ground to cover." A sigh escaped him as he rubbed his scalp. "Where the hell are we supposed to find this guy?"

"Sounds like you're on a manhunt."

"You're telling me, pal... Wait, huh?!"

The delinquent whirled around, his eyes narrowed into a fierce glare as he quickly pulled out his COMP. In front of him was a man dressed in a professional business suit and blonde hair. Strangely, the man held a confident smirk. "Easy there, Kaido... I'm not here to fight." the man assured him, holding up his hands. Kaido was still giving him a death glare, however.

"Bullshit you are! The hell are you?!"

"My name's Honda... I'm a Demon Tamer, like you are."

"...Yeah, like that makes me feel at ease." He scoffed in sarcasm. Why would this man just admit that he was a demon tamer to him? What was he plotting?

"I'm serious. I have no intention of fighting you." Honda insisted. "In fact... I'd like to offer you a proposal."

"A proposal...?" Kaido remained skeptical. But nevertheless, he was curious to what the man was offering.

Honda nodded, his smile still plastered across his face. "Tell me something, Kaido... how would you like to escape the Tokyo Lockdown?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yo guys, we're back!"

Atsuro shouted at them as he ran up with Kirito, both of them carrying rations in their arms. The group smiled in appreciation as they returned. "What took you guys?" Klein asked jokingly as he took his share. "Moreover, you guys okay? You look like you went through the wringer."

"Yeah, more or less." Kirito shrugged his shoulders. "People were just fighting over food."

"And it's still a mess back there." Atsuro pointed behind them, directing their gaze to the mass of people fighting over the rations dropped from a supply crate by a helicopter.

"I bet." Sinon said. "People can get really antsy when their hungry."

Sweet...! Will he see any of his old friends and comrades?

She was right. It was all about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Humans need to fulfill their basic needs first in any sort of situation. Meaning they had to be properly nourished before continuing up the ladder of needs. In a desperate situation, humans would be willing to stoop to any means to survive.

Even if it meant fighting tooth and nail for it.

"So, what now?" Klein asked as he took a bite out of his bread. "I mean, we've got no leads other than that weird guy, we've got no idea who and who doesn't have a COMP, and we've got no idea where Naoya is, other than he's somewhere in Shinjuku."

"Speaking of that weird guy..." Suguha spoke up. "He called my brother 'Arbiter'... what does that mean?"

"Well, if he was talking about video game terms, it was a title used for an alien guy in Halo." Klein said, showing off his knowledge of video games. "Basically a stray member of a group, or an exile. Now, if we're talking real-life terms, I've got no idea."

Agil chuckled. "Actually, the video game interpretation is exactly what it means in real life, though it's more of a harbinger of sorts rather than a black sheep. Although, I wonder what the hell he meant by that. Moreover, what the hell is this about a war?"

"The War of Bel..." Yui recited the name, albeit with confusion. "There are no records of such a thing in the COMP's database, however there are demons listed relating to that term. Those are Beldr, Belial, Jezebel, Belzaboul, and Belberith. Two of the five are listed as members of the 72 Keys of Solomon. Belzaboul is also known as Beelzebub, the Right Hand of Darkness, and Lord of the Flies."

"...Why so many Bels?" Kazuya asked in question. For for some reason, he had an instinctual feeling that he knew why...

"I don't know. There isn't much data to relate these demons together. Although, it would be safe to assume that they are part of this war.

Well, it's called the War of Bel for a reason." Philia frowned. "Now that I think about it... When Naoya gave me my COMP, he mentioned something about this too. I didn't understand what he meant, but..." she looked to Kazuya. "All he said was that it had something to do with Akuma."

"Huh? Why Akuma?" Suguha questioned. All eyes turned to the boy. What did he have to do with all of this?

"Hell if I know." the treasure hunter shrugged. "Got any ideas, Kazuya?"

The blue-haired teen frowned as he crossed his arms, trying to think. This war was involving a group of demons, a few of which were apparently in the same category as that Bifrons the Anguished One commanded, and all of them were unique, being apart of this war, and known by the title of Bel. And somehow... it involved him?

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. But...there was something telling him to not think about it at all...as if it were the natural course of things...

...wait, now that he thought about it... hadn't there been that voice from yesterday? The one that was talking about someone? He knew it involved someone named Cain, but... why?

"...nrgh?!"

Suddenly, a flash pain erupted in his head, causing him to grip his skull.

'...w-w...h...y...'

'...bel...? ...el?! N-no... no! Wh-what... what have I...?!'

A multitude of sensations tore through him. Pain. Betrayal. Sorrow. Anger. Hatred. Pity. Despair. Agony. They all came hurtling at him at once. He didn't even know where each of these sensations originated from.

"Whoa, you alright?!"

The azure-haired teen snapped back to reality. His eyes caught the expression of concern on his friends' faces. They ranged from confused to worried.

"W..." he gasped, the pain in his head slowly fading. "What... happened...?"

"That's we want to ask you..." Kirito stated in concern. "Are you sure you're doing alright? You've been having the same episodes since yesterday."

"I-I don't know..." the teen replied, standing on wobbly legs. "It's... weird... When you guys brought up Cain, I thought I heard someone's voice, and just now..."

"Wait, a voice?" Asuna asked in disbelief. Kazuya, however, nodded. "...what did it say?"

"I...I'm not sure...it was pretty garbled and out of focus...but it sounded as if someone regretted something..."

"Regretted?" Agil frowned. "Well, now that I think about it, and while on the subject of Cain, there are a few interpretations where he regretted killing his brother. In one of 'em, rather than covering up a crime, it was a proper burial."

"Really? So Cain actually felt remorse for his crime?" Atsuro asked.

"Like I said, it's one of the few interpretations. It could be wrong. It could be not."

"Sorry, but, I'm lost." Philia said. It was now the group realized she had no idea what they were talking about. "Who's Cain?"

"The first killer in history," Kirito answered. "Or at least, according to the bible."

"Oh, you mean the son of Adam and Eve?"

"Yep. He killed his brother Abel and was sentenced by God to remember every life he is reincarnated into."

Philia visibly blanched. "S-seriously? I know he killed his brother, but... that's harsh!"

"It was his punishment by God. He committed murder, a heinous act in itself."

"That may be but...that just seems too cruel."

"Yeah, no kidding." Atsuro chuckled sheepishly in morbid. "I mean, if that story is true like the demons, then imagine how long this guy has been around. He must have lived hundreds of lifetimes!"

"Yeah. That's insane by itself. I would've gone insane somewhere along that point." Klein said.

"Either that, or one majorly pissed off son of a bitch," Sinon remarked rather vulgarly. "Imagine what he's like now."

The others took a moment to picture it...they all shuddered.

"...someone who considers God public enemy number 1." Kazuya frowned. "He must blame God for letting him kill Abel, if He truly is an all omnipotent being."

"Yeah. I mean...if God already knew of this...why didn't he try to stop it from happening?" Kirito asked in agreement.

"There's a lot of things that never really make sense in history, especially in myths and legends." Agil shrugged. "Anyway, what's our next plan? Shinjuku?"

"Yeah. We rested enough as it is. We're burning daylight and we still don't have answers."

"But that about that stuff from that Laplace Mail? Weren't 50 people going to be killed today?" Yuzu asked.

"What time is it right now?" Philia asked.

They all checked their COMPs.

They all said 12:00.

"Okay...so we have Six hours until the massacre in Ikebukuro."

"That means we've got plenty of time before the big end game." Suguha remarked. "Anyway, let's go to Shibuya. If that Anguished One's right, then Naoya's gotta be there!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving before we lose him again!"

The group moved instantly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Hm, looks like they're progressing faster than I thought they would."

"Did you expect any less from your dear brother, Naoya?" the flamboyant man chuckled. "He's a sharp tack. Already, he's starting to remember what he was like."

"That may be...but it's too soon." The silver haired man shook his head.

It was dangerous for those memories to be re-awakening, especially not when his power was so weak.

There was a chance that he would fully remember...remember the day when he was slain by his own hand...

Naoya clenched his fist silently. That fateful day still plagued him, no matter how many lifetimes had passed.

"Oh, what's this?" the man grinned wickedly as he leaned forward. "Regretting what you did?"

Naoya's eyes flared with anger, despite the fact his face remained cold and impassive. "...you wish to be erased, Loki?" he asked. "I can make that a reality for you."

"Eh, no thanks. I want to see this War play out completely."

"Then I suggest you shut your mouth before I rip your tongue out." The genius threatened in a level tone.

"Fine, fine...sheesh...don't get your knickers in a knot."

"Are you done?"

"Mm, not quite." the Norse God grinned. "I trust you know what'll happen tomorrow."

"Of course I know." Naoya huffed. "It'll be their first real test... whether or not they can defeat the trials ahead of them."

"And whether or not your dear brother can become the King of Demons." Loki's grin grew, becoming wickedly sinister. "Oh, I can already imagine how things will go!"

"As can I..." Naoya gave a shadow of a smirk. He had no doubt what the outcome would be. He knew his brother...he knew he had the ability to take the Throne.

"The first of the five, the Immortal Demon." Loki chuckled. "He's gonna hae his work cut out for him, and I'm still looking forward to seeing how well he does."

Naoya didn't respond...but a knowing grin was etched onto his face. He knew his brother was resourceful...he would find a way to kill Beldr and absorb his power...

And once that happened... then, everything would be set into motion.

The War would truly begin.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, Shinjuku's a mess..." Klein commented as he looked around. The street was littered with debris, ruined cars, smashed in shop windows, as well as anything else that provided the image of a chaotic street road. "What the hell happened? It wasn't this bad, was it?"

"Like Sinon said, people get really antsy when their hungry." Agil sighed heavily as he picked up what was left of a ration. "People must have been fighting over the food that was dropped here. Lot of people must have been really hungry..."

"Yeah." Kirito nodded as he looked around. "Still... is Naoya supposed to be here in this mess?"

"I wouldn't know...but it wouldn't hurt to ask questions. Maybe someone else has seen him."

"Are you sure we couldn't just check his apartment, though?" Suguha asked. "I mean...that's where he lives. It wouldn't be unusual for him NOT to be..."

"Please...I doubt he would stay at the most obvious place for a hiding spot." Philia countered.

"But...!"

"You never know," Atsuro defended. "Leafa might be right. This IS Naoya we're talking... about... Holy shit!" Everyone was startled by the cry as he stared at the alleyway with large eyes and a stunned expression.

Passing through the alleyway was what looked like the flowing hem of a black yukata with a techno green and yellow design.

"Was that Naoya?!" Yuzu shouted.

Kazuya's face set into a determined scowl. "Quick, after him!"

The group gave chase, their previous conversation forgotten. Although Kazuya had a brief sense of deja vu.

When they broke through the other side of the alley, no one was even there.

"Wh-Wha? Dammit! he gave us the slip again!"

"Son of a bitch!" Klein cursed. "And just when we had him! How the hell does he do that!"

"No idea. Is he some sort of magician?" Yuzu questioned.

"For some reason...this situation feels very familiar..." Kirito commented, scratching his chin.

"My, those are some real cuties with you... are any of 'em available?"

The Gamers and Yuzu turned to the source of the voice. Philia felt the blood in her veins freeze after recognizing the figure.

"...No way...!"

The flamboyant man grinned. "Hello, Kotone-chan!"

"YOU!"

"Wait, you know this guy, Philia?" Asuna questioned the Dandelion haired girl. She was slightly worried given the...feeling she was getting from the man...who was several meters away. Honestly, it made her skin crawl slightly.

Kirito stood between them, eyes narrowed into a glare. "...they're not for sale." he said as Kazuya stood next to him, his glare equal to hellfire. "And if you even think of touching them, you're a dead man."

The flamboyant man retained his grin as he held up his hands. "Whoa, easy there, boyo~" he said in a cheerful tone. "I'm not here to fight."

"Then tell us why you're here..." The Blackswordsman scowled as he pulled out his COMP. "...Otherwise I may have to force you to leave...!"

"Oh, come down, will you?" the man chuckled. "I'm not here to start a fight... Oh?" The man suddenly raised an eyebrow as he looked at the blue-haired teen. "Hey... Now that I get a better look at you..."

"H-huh...?" Kazuya looked at the man, unsure of the look he was giving him. Seriously...who was this guy?

"...hahahah!"

The group grew slightly anxious as the man reeled his head back, laughing. "So, it's you, just like Naoya said! I must say, you're much more... interesting, then I'd thought you'd be."

Instantly, Kazuya's eyes widened. "You know Naoya?!"

"You could said we're... old friends." the man grinned. "As a matter of fact, he asked me a favor to help bring your friend's darling daughter here. She packs quite the punch, doesn't she?" His grin became wicked. "Then again, she IS a demon, after all~"

"Watch it, bastard!" Kirito took a step forward, placing an arm in front of his daughter while Asuna held Yui close to her. All of them had the same sentiments. They were liking this guy less and less.

"Hush, girly. The boys are talking~"

A tick mark formed on his temple. "HEY!"

Kazuya and the flamboyant man stared back at each other. One in amusement, and another in confusion and suspicion.

"...who are you?"

"Who, indeed~" the man grinned. "Consider me a... spectator, my friend. And one very interested, mind you."

"...say!"

Suddenly, the man appeared right next to Kazuya, his arm dropped atop his shoulder. The group recoiled in shock, while Kazuya continued to glare at him.

"Tell me, have you ever given any thought to your destiny? Your... future?"

"My...future...?" What was this man getting at? He was getting more confused by the minute.

"I mean...have you ever thought what fate may have in store for you?"

"By tomorrow, you and all your friends will be dead... After all, you're Death Clock says as much, right?" the man asked. "Fate is like one giant wheel... it crushes everything underneath it, never stopping. However, in some ways, it's like a milestone... and milestones can always be cracked." The man moved away, leaping back to his original place. "By the by, have you ever heard the story of Beldr?"

"Beldr...?" Kazuya raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"So you haven't then..."

"Once, long ago, there was a beautiful being named Beldr. A halfling of the gods, loved by all... yet his mother foresaw what would happen: dead at the hands of his brother, impaled by a spear. So frightened by that, she made all living things, gods and demons, vow to harm Beldr. In that sense, he was an immortal being... but there was one who didn't agree to the vow. And this one thing became the spear that was tossed by Beldr's brother, and pierced his heart. However, the goddess of Helheim made Beldr an offer: if all living things shed so much as a single tear, he would be brought back."

The flamboyant man laughed. "Only one old hag didn't weep for the poor soul... and now he rests in Helheim. Of course, by tomorrow, his shackles will be undone, and all living things will weep for him just as before... right on the doors of death"

The others did not say a word from the story. What else could they do? It was difficulty to believe...such a demon was going to appear tomorrow?!

"...you said there was something that didn't agree to the pact?" Kazuya asked, clearly undisturbed. "What is it?"

"I'm afraid that's for you to find out." the man teased him. "Although, considering you're Naoya's precious little brother... I'm sure you'll do wonderfully!"

"B-brother?"

"Well, tootles~!"

Before any of them could react, the man had vanished down the alleyway. They were all left to themselves. After learning what they just heard, they were all pondering the man's words.

But Kazuya was stuck on one thing: "...brother...?"

It was an odd thing to say. Kazuya was related to Naoya, but they were merely cousins, not brothers.

That man said odd things but...Kazuya felt like he couldn't disregard them.

"...Kazuya, you okay?"

"...I...don't know, Kirito."

Kirito was genuinely concerned for his friend. He seemed rather out of it when that Gigolo said something about Naoya and Kazuya being brothers.

The teen brought a hand to his face. Brother... that term... why did it sound so... familiar...?

"Are you sure you're fine? You've been out of it for these past couple days." Atsuro said.

"Y-Yeah...yeah I'm fine..."

It was a lie, he knew. He wasn't alright. Ever since hearing those words, something felt off... like there was something calling out to him from within. What, though, he wasn't sure.

Every time he heard Cain or brother...these episodes occurred.

"...a-anyway..." Yuzu coughed in her hand. "Let's go. This place is starting to give me the creeps."

"Yeah. And there is still a chance that Demons could ambush us here." Sinon agreed.

"Alright then..." Agil nodded alongside the rest. "Let's-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The group immediately became horrified by the scream, snapping into shock and attention. The whirled around, looking for the source before Yui informed them. "Papa! Mama! There are demons nearby!" she shouted in alertness. "There aren't many, but it looks like they're gathering for something!"

"Oh no...!" Philia paled. "Is is that massacre?!"

"No, can't be!" Atsuro shook his head. "It isn't time yet! It won't happen for another hour!"

"Never mind that!" Kirito shouted. "Come on!"

Kirito led the chase. The others followed right behind him. They broke through the alley and into a clearing. However, the sight they saw wasn't one for sore eyes...

"...ah shit."

Three people, a construction worker alongside two others, a woman and a man, business workers likely by their clothes, were being attacked by demons. A few were familiar sights, but among their numbers was what looked like a gourd with snakes coming out of it, along with some sort of ball with leaves and glowing yellow eyes.

"Dammit, of all the times...!" Kirito snapped as he opened his COMP. "Guys, get ready for-!"

"What's going on here?!"

The group looked over their shoulder to see a police officer running to the scene, stopping when he saw the monsters. "W-what the hell?!" he cried in shock. "Monsters?! ...Tch, dammit!" he cursed as he brought out his gun. "I need to save those people!"

"O-officer!" Yuzu cried. "You need to run!"

"Wha-kids?!" the officer frowned before shaking his head. "Never mind! You kids! Get out of here!"

"No, It's okay! Let us handle this! You all need to get out of here! Hurry!" Atsuro shouted out in warning.

"W-what?!" the officer cried in shock. "What are you guys talking about?! You need to run!" The cop knew how terrified he was. After all, he had never seen creatures like these. They looked as if they could kill him at a moment's notice! Even still... it was his job to protect people!

"We can handle them!" Kazuya shouted, bringing the cop out of his thoughts. "We can fight!"

Fight? What the hell did that mean? Were these kids out of their damned...

Then, it hit him.

"Wait, are you kids those Demon Tamers I've been hearing about?!"

"Demon Tamers...? Is what what people are calling us?" Yuzu asked.

"Well, technically speaking, we did get a message saying so..." Atsuro pointed out.

"That doesn't matter!" Kirito shouted at the officer. "There-there's demons over by the park!"

"W-what?! But that's where all the refugees are at!" the cop scowled heavily. "Grgh... dammit all!"

"Just leave this to us!" Kazuya asked him. The officer looked torn, unsure what to do. On one hand, they were going to fight actual monsters... but on the other hand, they were supposedly people who could use monsters! But... even still...

what other choice did he have?!

"You kids better be careful!"

"Don't worry! We will!" Kirito promised. The officer nodded before leaving the scene. A sigh of relief was shared by the Demon Tamers.

"Alright...let's get to work!" Agil said.

As the demons advanced towards the humans, the groups brought out their respective demons.

Arsene appeared next to Kazuya.

Hagen materialized next to Kirito.

Rakshasa jumped down next to Klein.

Gozuki rose up next to Agil.

Lilim flew down by Asuna's side.

Garm, Oberon, and Caith Sith also stood by their master's sides, all of them battle ready.

Spriggan, Kama, and Pixie appeared as well.

"...Let's go guys." Kazuya ordered from the vanguard.

"YEAH!"

"Kill the humans!" The opposing demon leader cried.

As the demons came charging at the humans, Kazuya and the group fell into the battle.

Kirito struck down a rampaging bipedal horse with a Multi-Strike.

In contrast to the multi-hit, which was a lash-out of multiple of a single target, it was a barrage of strikes so quick and terrifying that it was aimed to take down all before it. Orobas, alongside the leafy demon and the Kobold, were knocked down by the barrage before Hagen brought his blade forward.

"...Mow Down!"

The Black Samurai swung his sword in a horizontal arc, cutting down his foes in a single move, nearly a dozen dropped like flies.

Kazuya and Arsene were obliterating every target in their way. The teen held a flame once again in his hand, only this one burned even darker and brighter.

"Maragi," he whispered as he snapped his hand forward.

A plume of fire spread like wildfire through the throngs of demons, all of them ignited in the scorching blaze.

Arsene was truly like a demon as he dashed around, talons tearing them apart. His flaming grin was sickly as he tore them apart with glee.

Dozens fell by his hand. He robbed them off their hearts...literally. He would stab his hand into their chests and rip out their hearts.

They didn't last long, however, as their body bodies dispersed soon afterward, and flowed into them.

"I prefer the hearts of maidens," the demon thief said maliciously. "But I find your hearts to be quite delicate!"

Atsuro and Garm were like the lashing speed of lighting. The demon dog was darting around, biting and clawing down upon a group of Ogre's while Atsuro attacked with bolts of electricity. "Mazio!" the technological wiz snarled as he tossed bolts of electricity. The blasts left them stunned and shocked in place, due to the weak resistance, thereby allowing the hound to attack.

The beast tore through their bodies with its fangs, killing them instantly.

"Damn!" the boy grinned. "Now who said dogs weren't man's best friend?!"

Oberon and Caith Sith once again operated in tandem, the feline warrior locked into a battle with Ogres and Kobolds and the fairy king dancing around his foes as if they were nothing, lashing out with lashes of the blade and bolts of lightning.

Their tamers followed suit with this dance as well. Asuna moved speed and agility worthy of her Moniker: The Flash, freezing her opponents with Mabufu and pierce attacks. Suguha moved with the refinement of a sword stress, dealing physical attacks.

"Anger Hit!"

With a swift movement, a demon was left with a gaping hole in its chest.

Said demon fell down in a heap.

"Don't let your guard down!" Philia shouted as she and Spriggan defended the business woman from a pair of Kobolds. "Miss, you need get out of here!"

"H-how can I trust you?! You're using demons!" the woman cried hysterically. She had every right to be terrified, but Philia was quickly becoming annoyed.

"Woman, which sounds like a better option to you?! Getting out of here, or getting killed by demons?!"

The woman took only a second to let the words sink in. In the next second she made her decision. Immediately she turned around and fled, but not before facing Philia. "Thank you!"

The treasure hunter flashed a smile before turning back to the demons before they could give chase. "Alright, you bastards!" she snarled. "Come on!"

Spriggan's eyes flashed as it brought up its hands. "NO! HARMING!"

He brought down his fists.

"BRUTAL HIT!"

The ugly fairy's fists swung down and crushed the demons before them. When he lifted his arms, a squished Waira and Obariyon were stuck to the cracked asphalt. They broke apart into pixels of light soon after.

As this occurred, those who were being guarded were running away for dear life, with Agil and Klein guarding them.

"Come on, move it people!" the black-skinned man shouted. "Unless you wanna become demon chow, get going! Head to the shelter!"

"R-right! Thank you!" A random salary man cried.

"No problem just step on it!" Klein snapped.

Any demons who tried to hinder their escape were met by Rakshasa and Gozuki. The two demons battled any that dared to stand in their way. When one came to close, the scimitar-wielding demon slashed up any that dared to arrive to them. When one tried to charge at them, Gozuki stood in their way with his axe.

Needless to say, the group did a good job in evacuating the civilians.

Yui just bisected another demon, adding another corpse to the pile.

The small tyke dashed around with her blade in hand, moving around with incredible grace and reducing many beasts to ash.

In no time flat, the horde of demons was cut down.

"Whew..." Kirito sighed in relief as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "Nice work, Hagen!'

"...anytime, Kirigaya-dono."

The Demon bowed as he dispersed into blue particles back into the swordsman's COMP. The other demons did the same.

"That all of 'em?" Klein asked as he looked around. It seemed as if they eliminated all the demons in the area. "Whew, finally... That was tough work! God, my legs are so sore!"

"Well, least we got those people away from here." Agil said before he frowned. "Although, I am a little worried."

"Yeah." Kazuya nodded. "Let's head to the park. That's where they should be, right?"

"The cop is there too." Atsuro pointed out. "Kinda feel bad that we told him that lie."

"W-wait, everyone!"

The group jumped when they heard Yui's panicked cries. Desperation was clear on her face. "I-I'm sensing demonic activity by Shinjuku park!"

"WHAT?!"

Agil cursed. "Fuck! Let's go!"

"Language!" Asuna barked at him while covering Yui's ears.

"Oh, sorry...but still, we gotta go!" Agil apologized before hurrying.

"Right!" The others chorused.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Aaaaah! Somebody, save us!"

The officer bit his lip in frustration as he opened fire on the approaching demons. He saw as they showed little effect, yet he still cursed in anger. "Everybody, don't panic!" he told them, though he himself knew it would be useless. "Dammit all...! Bullets are useless against these bastards! Even still, I have to protect everyone!"

He knew that he wasn't doing much at all. Even so, he took an oath to protect and serve the people. Like hell he will fail them here!

As he was about to fire another round, the demons suddenly became alert as they jumped back when a blast of electricity came down upon them. "Wha-?!" the officer gaped as he looked over his shoulder.

He promptly dropped his gun.

What hovered in the air... was an angel.

That was all the man could describe the being hovering above the ground behind him. It was a tall figure garbed in bright red armor. In its hands was a spear and shield. Bountiful white wings grew from its back. Its green eyes shone with majesty.

The crowd was left in awe, staring at it with reverence. Some had parted ways as an unseen figure moved forward in the demon's direction. When the front portion of the crowd stepped aside, the officer saw that it was a young woman with blue hair and a flower ornament atop her head, dressed in orange robes. Her face was held in an impassive, quiet gaze.

"...please," she asked of him with the utmost respect. "Stand aside."

The officer could only nod dumbly as he moved away, allowing the girl to step forward. The angel descended, standing beside her like a sentinel, spear in hand.

Her gaze lingered onto the remaining demons, the weaker ones growing hesitant while the stronger ones remained defiant.

"...Forgive me for calling on you so suddenly, Power." the young woman apologized to the angel as she let out a troubled sigh. These demons were far weaker than she had expected. She could easily handle them by herself. However, the armored angel shook his head as he brandished his spear.

"There is no need for you to apologize, Amane-sama." the angel told her in earnest. "After all, by the will of the Lord, all demons must be purged of existence!"

"..I see...I am grateful for your assistance." She bowed her head to the Angel before facing the demons.

The one closest took this chance to lunge at her...only to be on the receiving end of Power's Spear.

The spear was poking through it's skull. Within moments, the Kobold was reduced to more particles. The other demons took this as a sign to back off, however Power would not allow them to escape, its brilliant blue orbs flashing angrily as it brought up it's spear.

"Ziodyne!"

From the Heavens, a massive bolt of azure lighting rained down and incinerated the closest demon to ash. The force from the bolt blew away the remaining demons as well.

"Unless you wish to be returned to the Expanse as mere dust..." the young woman stated clearly. "Leave these people be. The Heavens shall show you no mercy."

"Che!" an Ogre cursed. "Of all the damned...!"

The Monster did not even get to finish as another bolt, courtesy of Power, reduced it to cinders.

"...Any other profane comments?" The Angel questioned rhetorically.

There was no response.

"Then leave us."

The demons growled in defiance, but they easily recognized the amount of power the Angel possessed. Facing it would be suicide.

"...damned human."

And with that, the demons moved away.

The area was soon clear in under a minute. All was silent.

Silently, the young girl turned to face the stunned crowd. "I trust everyone is unharmed?"

"I see..."

"Er... excuse me, miss?" the cop asked, still looking at her in absolute awe. "W-who... are you?"

The girl bowed politely. "I am Amane, Maiden of the Shomonkai."

"The...Shomonkai...?" Did she mean that strange cult he had been hearing about?

Amane nodded before turning her head to the angel beside her. "And he is Power, member of the Divine."

"Greetings...children of Man." The Angel bowed formally, keeping his eyes trained on the people.

"...it's an angel." someone in the crowd whispered. "A-a real angel!"

"Thank the Lord!" another cheered. "The heavens have not abandoned us!"

Soon, the entire crowd was cheering. Amane smiled somewhat as Power vanished in a burst of blue light, which disappeared into her robes. "Everyone, please..." she spoke in her quiet, yet captivating tone. "All of us here are suffering from this ordeal... However, no matter how harsh the road, nor the pain that comes with it, so long as you continue to hold your faith in us, and in God, neither we nor His Emissaries shall abandon you!"

The people absorbed her words and took them to heart. Finally...some hope in this endless despair.

Once again, the crowd was thrown into cheers.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn..." Klein whistled. "Gotta admit, that Amane is one hell of a girl if she can do something like that."

The VRMMORPG Players and Yuzu were standing a block away from the commotion. They were going to intervene in the Demon attack, but it appears that Amane had the situation under control.

"Yeah, and that demon she used really did look like an Angel." Yuzu noted. "First impressions are important. They'd probably feel the same way if she summoned something like a goddess, too"

"Yeah." Asuna agreed. "She pretty much has the acceptance of the others after this."

"That, and she's downright beautiful." Klein giggled. "Ne, Kirito... you plan on scoring another babe again?"

Said teen felt his eyebrow twitch. "For the last time, Klein, I have no idea what you are talking about... and besides, she's more Kazuya's type anyhow."

They looked toward the azure haired teen...whose focus was on the angel next to Amane. He did not know why but...for some reason...he felt a dull yet growing sense of disgust and loathing toward the Angel. He wondered if it was something similar to those episodes...

"Oi, Akuma." Agil called out. "You okay? You've been spacing out ever since you saw that winged featherbag."

"...it's nothing." Kazuya assured him. "Anyway, what's this about Amane?"

"Oh, just the fact that she's your type."

"...Wha...Huh?!" After letting the words sink in, Kazuya immediately reacted.

"So...is she really your type?" Atsuro elbowed him in the ribs lightly.

"D-dammit, no, she isn't!"

"Really?" Suguha grinned devilishly. "Your red face says otherwise."

"Ugh...please shut up!"

"Hey, we're only stating the truth!" Atsuro chuckled. "Still, she looks pretty cute... Man, first Haru, now Amane? Yoohoo's got some competition~"

Yuzu simply gave him a sickly sweet smile. "...Atsuro, do you want to have kids in the future?

The capped teen immediately paled knowing where this conversation was going. He covered his family jewels out of pure fright and hid behind Kazuya.

"...again, Atsuro?"

"Wh-what? She's less likely to hurt you!" He lamely argued.

"You really need to put a filter on what you say..."

"Open mouth and insert foot" Yui nodded. "I must file this for later."

"Please, don't."

The conversation continued elsewhere as Amane approached the group. "It appears we meet again, Minegeshi." she greeted, bowing her head. "And your band has grown as well."

"Y-yeah..." Kazuya cleared his throat. "...We were able to find Philia this morning." He gestured to the girl in blue.

"Yo." the treasure hunter greeted. "My name is Kotone. It's a pleasure to meet you, Amane."

"And you as well, Miss Kotone." Amane nodded. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Amane, Maiden of the Shomonkai."

"Yeah. I've heard a bit about you from Kazuya and the others."

"Good things, I hope." Philia smiled. "Anyway, was that seriously an angel? I mean, it felt like a demon, but..."

"Power is indeed a demon," she confirmed. "But as you know, demons are categorized by races and clans. The Divine are more akin to Angels, as are the Holy, the more powerful of the angelics."

"So they're not really angels..." Atsuro said in understanding. "They're more like demons with the power of an angel, along with their mindset."

"Correct." Amane nodded.

"Man...that sounds pretty confusing..." Klein scratched his head.

"Not really, when you think about it." Kazuya said. "More often than not, you'll find at least one demon who believes in the right thing."

"Yeah...The same goes for normal people."

"Say, Amane." Atsuro spoke up, wanting to discuss something with her. "We met this weird guy earlier... he called himself the Anguished One. Do you know anything about him?"

"Ah, so you have encountered him as well." Amane noted with mild surprise. "He discussed something with me a long time ago, but vanished only seconds later. He is an odd being."

"No kidding." Agil muttered. "Especially with the way he and that demon acted."

"What?"

"That weird guy had a demon named Bifrons with him." Asuna informed the Shomonkai maiden. "Except they didn't seem to share the sort of relationship a demon with its Tamer had. It was more like a weaker demon obeying a stronger one, especially when the Anguished One threatened to kill him when he attacked Kirito-kun."

"And after that, Bifrons was shaking in his suit!" Klein added. "And to top it off, he didn't even need a COMP!"

"Yeah. It was as if Bifrons was a servant instead of a contracted demon." Kazuya noted.

"In short...that man...the Anguished one...doesn't seem to be human."

"If he's not human, then what is he?" Yuzu frowned. "He doesn't seem like a demon... and he didn't act like an angel, either."

Amane closed her eyes. "...given his experience with humans as a whole, I believe it would be safe to assume that he is another being entirely, one separate of angels, demons, and humans."

"Wait, experience?" Kazuya inquired.

"When I spoke with the Anguished One, he mentioned the brilliance and profound beauty of human potential, speaking of things such as the buildings of great empires and nations and countries, such as Rome, Greece, and the Mesopotamian Empire. The fact that he knows of such things means that, perhaps, he has been around for as long as we humans have... perhaps even longer."

"So...this guy has been around for tens of thousands of years?!" Kirito gawked.

"That would be a safe assumption..." Agil agreed. "...but it seemed his existence stretches even further than that."

"That would be a safe assumption." Amane said. "However, I doubt you all came here merely to ask me about this unique figure."

"Well, we did want to try and keep everyone safe," Kazuya chuckled sheepishly. "But it looks like you beat us to it."

"I am only doing what the Lord simply asks of us." the girl said simply. "Now then, will that be all?"

"Actually..." Atsuro spoke up. "There is... one thing we wanted to ask you about. Although, to be perfectly honest, I doubt you'll be able to speak anything of it."

The girl raised an eyebrow. What was it that they wished to discuss?"

"Amane," Kazuya asked. "What do you know about a group of demons called the Bels?"

The violet haired girl's expression remained neutral, yet surprise and shock sparked within her. The Bels...so they are ware of the war for the Throne as well?

Deep within her, she felt something hum in amusement while another feeling tried to suppress it.

"...I'm afraid I can speak very little of the subject." she confessed to them. "All I know is that the Bels are considered to be among the most powerful of demons."

"Is that so...?" Agil hummed. "Well, it was worth a shot. Still, just what the hell is this War of Bel thing about?"

"Probably some sort of competition between them." Sinon guessed. "It's called the War of Bel for a reason... but I think the real question is, what's the prize for winning it?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that either." Amane shook her head.

"I see...well, thanks for the help."

"Well, it was nice meeting ya, Amane-chan!" Klein grinned. "Oh yeah, by the way... are you single?"

Kirito groaned, face-palming. "Klein, for the love of Kami...!"

Strangely, Amane tilted her head. "Single? I... I do not have a loved one, if that is what you are asking. Why do you wish to know?"

"Just curious is all." the leader of the FurinKazen guild told her. "Anyway, one last question! ...what do you think of Kazuya?"

The blue-haired teen's face lit up bright red. "K-KLEIN!"

"What I think...?" Amane tilted her head again. "I...I'm afraid I do not know what you are asking."

"What I mean is-"

"I-it's nothing!" Kazuya shouted, his face bright red as he slapped his hand over Klein's mouth. "W-wow, would you look at the time?! Gotta go! See ya!"

The blue haired teen dragged the flailing red headed samurai away before more damage could be done. "Well...anyway...we'll be seeing you around, Amane-chan." Asuna waved before turning to leave. the others followed suit, leaving a perplexed maiden standing there.

"...what an odd bunch..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"W-what the hell Klein?!"

Kazuya demanded as they stopped several blocks away. He was still flustered by what the Samurai had done.

"Come on, you gotta admit, Akuma." Klein chuckled. "That Amane girl is pretty cute."

"Will you knock it off, Klein?!" Yuzu demanded hotly. "There's no way Kazuya would be interested in someone like her!"

Sinon smiled slyly. "...that sounds like jealousy to me, Yoohoo-chichi.

"Huh?! Please stop calling me that!" She huffed.

Sinon just smirked back in amusement.

"You didn't deny you were jealous~"

"S-shut up, Asada!"

Agil shook his head, amused by all of this before turning back to Klein. "Okay, first of all Klein, quit embarrassing the kid."

"Alright, fine..." the samurai said, though he still retained his grin.

"thank you. Secondly, anybody notice what Amane said? About this War?"

Kirito nodded. "Yeah... she didn't seem to know much about the Bels, but she did let it slip that she knew something about the war itself, given her comment."

"Which means the Shomonkai are aware of what's happening." Suguha frowned heavily distress. "Hey... you don't think this lockdown is to make sure the war doesn't spread any further into Japan, do you?"

"It'd make sense." Agil shrugged. "Though, given that this is a war involving demons, the stress between the SDF and the people are gonna reach a breaking point, and fast."

"You're right." Kirito agreed. "If this war does begin, who knows how much more chaotic this place will be."

"Who's to say it hasn't already started?" Sinon argued. "After all, one of these Bel things is supposed to show up tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Philia nodded in agreement. "Beldr, right? Accoding to that gigolo, he's supposed to be almost invincible unless we can find the thing that killed him in the first place."

"We'll put that on our list of priorities." Kazuya said. "For now, let's head to Ikebukuro. We have an hour before those demons show up, and I, for one, think it would be better to be there when it happens."

"Yeah." Agil nodded. "Though, we should stop by Aoyama too. Suguha might have been on to something when she said Naoya might be there."

"Yeah...but I still think it would be too obvious." Kelin stated.

"Well, we won't know for sure unless we go and see for ourselves."

"Okay then, let's go."

Unlike before, the group actually had a destination where they had a chance to get answers. With this in mind, they made haste for Aoyama.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gin sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Seriously, Haru..." he said in exasperation. "How many times have I told you? You need to be careful out there?"

"Oh, come on, Gin." the red-haired idol smiled. "It wasn't that bad. Those kids helped me out."

"That may be true, but you may not be so lucky next time." The bartender sighed.

Haru merely shrugged, and took a sip of the glass of water in front of her. "Whatever."

"Are you even listening?"

"Nope~"

Again, the bartender sighed. "How the hell did Aya deal with you?"

"Heh...I don't know either." Haru chuckled lightly as she swirled the liquid in her glass. She did wonder how the head of D-VA had put up with her.

"So..." Gin decided to change subjects as he took a seat next to her, a bottle of beer in his hand. "Those kids were using demons too?"

"Yep." she nodded. "They seemed to be pretty strong, even though they've only had it for, like, a day."

"Only a day? Wow, they must be pretty skilled..." Gin commented, aware of the device he obtained earlier in his front pocket.

"Yeah, they must be." the woman smiled before she giggled. "And one of them was rather cute."

"Oh? So one of these kids caught your interest?" Gin grinned jokingly.

"Maybe~"

"Haha...knowing you...I kinda feel sorry for the guy."

"And why do you say that?"

"Do I really need to say it?"

"Yeah...you do."

"Haru, any guy who catches your interest, well..." Gin shook his head in amusement. "They usually last a few days before they run away, terrified. Also, he's only like, what? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

"Hey, I never said I had a thing for him." she said, slightly annoyed. "I just said I was interested in him, that's all."

"Okay, okay. I was just joking." he chuckled.

"Didn't sound like you were." Haru muttered, scowling somewhat. "Anyway... Any news about how long this thing will last?"

"Nope. The only updates so far is that the gas leak is poisonous. But that in itself is a load of bullshit if you ask me."

"Gas leak? Seriously?" Haru scoffed. "Are people actually buying that?"

"Most folks, but not a whole lot."

It was a true, the smarter folk in the lock down could see through such a bold faced lie. However, without proper evidence, they were unable to properly call out on it.

"Well, I'm not surprised." Haru said. "By the way, that reporter chick came by earlier."

At the mention of this person, Gin sighed again. He had a feeling he would be doing this a lot in the future. "What does Shoji want NOW?"

"She just wanted to talk about this whole lock down. Saying stuff about it being a conspiracy or something."

"Well, I don't have much to say about that." Gin said. "I mean, hell, just about anyone thinks this whole thing's one giant conspiracy."

"Yeah. The government isn't really fooling anyone. Seriously, why are they even keeping us in here?"

"You'd have to ask the guys in charge." Gin muttered. "I just wish they put the power back on. I just talked with Mochizuki earlier. They still haven't turned on the back-up power at the hospitals."

"Seriously?! Don't they know that people's lives are at risk there? Most of them can't survive without proper treatment! What the hell are they thinking?!" Haru voiced her outrage.

"You're preaching the choir here, Haru." the bartender said. "Though, you have a point. The power lines are completely cut-off, a lockdown... and that's not even counting this demon crap."

"What the hell is going on?"

"You got me. It's as if the world has gone to hell faster than we thought."

"Yeah..." Gin muttered as he took a swig of his beer. "Maybe... Maybe..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, looks like this place has been completely vacated." Kirito noted as they approached the apartment building. "I don't see any signs of people being here since the Lockdown got started."

"Yeah...can we even be sure that Naoya is here?" Philia questioned. "He could've vacated it already.

"Well, we won't know unless we search. Maybe he's just holed up in his room."

Kazuya nodded at that logic. If he knew his brother, he'd try to stay as quiet as possible, and leave as little traces. He was always good at hiding his presence away from others.

...wait, brother?

'Nrgh...' he groaned a bit, holding his head. 'More of these episodes... what's happening to me?'

Then, suddenly, he felt his body grow cold. The air suddenly became thick with tension, a foul, acrid scent polluting the air. It caused him to cringe in disgust, pinching his nose. "Is something wrong?" Yui asked, noticing Kazuya's actions. "Does something smell bad, Akuma?"

"Y-yeah... God, it's foul!" he said. "It stinks like rotting flesh!"

"Eh?" Klein frowned as he sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything. You sure?"

Kazuya nodded.

"Well, you got any idea where it's coming from?" Kirito asked. The blue haired teen pointed his finger near the apartment's edge. Sadly, the place where he pointed to caused Suguha and Yuzu to freeze, their faces pale.

It was the cemetery.

"...Well...with the smell being rotting flesh...that's to be expected." Kirito stated mirthlessly.

"But how could you smell it all the way from here? I can't smell anything, dude." Atsuro said.

"Neither can I." Asuna said. "Although... is it just me, or does the air feel... sickly, all of a sudden?"

"Actually, now that you mention it," Agil noticed this phenomenon as well. "It does feel heavier... and maybe a bit suffocating."

"Hm..." Kirito put a hand to his chin, trying to figure out the source. "Yui, can you run a check around this area?"

"Hai, papa!" the demonized AI smiled as she put her hands to her temples, closing her eyes. For a few seconds, she remained quiet before her eyes opened. "Hm... I'm sensing two functioning COMP's in the area. They're located in the Aoyama Cemetery. They're both active."

"Eeeeeeh?" Suguha cried. "Y-you mean we're going back to that creepy place?!"

"We have to if we want to find out what's causing this feeling." Her brother rebutted. "C'mon, let's go."

"Uuuugh..." Yuzu groaned. "I hope nothing pops out of those graves..."

Her commented went widely ignored as they stepped into the grounds. As they neared their destination, they soon begun to understand what Kazuya meant by horrible smell.

"Hurk!" Klein gagged in repulsion as he held both of his hands over his mouth and nose. "Sweet mother of Kami, what in the hell is that smell?!"

"Urk..." Atsuro looked green in the face. "Rotting flesh... is a weak way to describe this smell...!"

"I think...I think I'm going to be sick." Suguha gagged.

"Ditto." Philia said the same.

"Are you okay, Yui?" Asuna asked her daughter in concern.

"It's stinky..."

"That's..." Kirito pinched his nose. "One way to describe this stench."

"Yeesh, and here I thought my wife's burnt cooking smelled bad." Agil said in disgust. "Is it those COMP's causing this smell?"

"If it is, they're in dire need of disinfection." Sinon said, her face showing obvious disgust. However, it soon developed a frown. "Hey, guys... can you hear something?"

Everyone grew silent, keeping their ears open. Now that she mentioned it, they did hear slight rustling and hissing. They also took note to the sounds of footsteps. Footsteps that were slowly closing in.

"...Man...I'm really hoping they're not zombies..." Atsuro grimaced.

As the sounds grew louder, Kazuya felt his body grow hot. He felt new experiences, new sensations beginning to open up to him.

'What... in the world...?'

Suddenly, his mind became sharper as he looked at the source of the footsteps and growls.

He slowly withdrew his COMP.

"Kazuya...?"

"...Demons." was all he said as he flipped it open, allowing Arsene to appear.

"I sense about two dozen, plus more appearing." The Great Thief replied to his master.

Everyone suddenly became alert. Over 20 demons?! In so small an area?!

"Shit!" Klein shouted as they encountered their foes. It was a mass of Waira's, Pixies, Kobolds, Ogres, and the pitch-fork wielding demons known as Bilwis. Rakshasa took by his master's side, his eyes gleaming sinisterly in delight. "Why the hell are there so many?!"

"It's gotta be whoever's controlling them!" Agil shouted as Gozuki appeared beside him, axe in hand. "For there to be this many... How man Demon Tamers are there?!"

"There's only two!" Yui informed them. "B-but... something's wrong! It's almost like the Expanse storage space is somehow becoming unstable!"

"What does that mean?" Yuzu questioned as her Pixie appeared.

"I think she means that the COMPs are out of control, constantly spewing out demons!"

"W-whaaaaaaaat?!" Klein cried out. "Are you serious?!"

"Che, how annoying." Sinon growled as Kama appeared beside her. "Oi, Kama... can you destroy the COMP's causing these demons to appear?"

"Perhaps," the archer replied. "However... the horde of demons makes it difficult to concentrate. That, and there's quite a disgusting cloud hanging around them."

"A cloud?" Kazuya frowned. "Wait... could that be what's causing the smell?!"

"A miasma, probably!" Agil guessed. "Alright, let's thin these bastards out, and get to those COMP's! The sooner we bust 'em up, the better!"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Kirito questioned with Hagen at his side. Asuna walked up next to him with Lilim at ready.

"Let's clean up."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hahaha, looks like they've found my little gift for them." Naoya chuckled as he observed them from the rooftop of the apartment building. "Nice... very nice. You're already starting to develop the senses you need, Kazuya."

He was growing more and more proud of his brother with each passing moment. He was already exceeding all of his expectations. Soon...soon he will be ready to win the upcoming war.

"But... it still isn't enough. Not yet, anyway."

It may have been true that Kazuya was beginning to awaken, albeit slowly, to his power, but it would surely develop within time. Most likely, Beldr's essence would allow him to obtain even greater power... and perhaps allow him to slowly obtain strength beyond comprehension.

Even still... at the rate he was going, even if he had obtained the Devil's Fuge, he wouldn't be able to stand against Beldr. There wasn't enough time.

But, perhaps... if he was given the power of an extroardinary demon...

"Hmhmhm... How fascinating, Cain." Naoya's eyes widened, his head whirling over his shoulder. How the hell had they gotten behind him?! He hadn't sensed their presence at all. "Even after hundreds of thousands of years... your rage for Yehowah has not subsided even the least. If at all anything, it has only grown like hellfire."

The figure stood across from him on the opposing edge of the complex. Their features were hard to make out, due to the faint darkness and from them being so far away, but he could make out the eye color. One eye was a bloody red, and the other, a cold green color.

"...and you would be?" Naoya inquired curiously. "And how do you know of me?"

The figure chuckled. "Ah, of course, you would not recognize me in this form, nor in this lifetime." he said, mostly to himself. "Back then, I was a mere feeble fool in a wheelchair... but even when I met you then, your anger was still as bright and horrifying as it is now... Mitsushi Konosuke."

Naoya's eyes widened. That name... that had been the name of the life he had gone by hundreds of years ago...

"...I'll be damned." the silver-haired teen said with a large grin. "I never would have thought you of all people to be a demon, Louise Cypher."

The figure smiled broadly as he stepped out of the shadows, revealing his form. Louise Cypher was a young man with a devilish, handsome face, regal and noble with the utmost dignity and pride, bearing neatly combed platinum blonde hair, and a fine pin-striped black suit. He sported a kind, charming smile, and strode with a strange fascination about him, hands slipped neatly into his trousers. At his neck was a multi-colored blue and red tie.

"It has been a long time, my friend..." The Great Darkness bowed with a playful smile. "..About 233 years since we last met, correct?"

"...Give or take a few months..."

"Hahaha..." the blonde man laughed cheerfully as he stepped next to him, looking down at the sight. Below, Kazuya Minegeshi and his band were tearing their way through the horde of demons. Arsene moved with graceful and brutal speed, slashing any before it to mere shredded pieces of sloppy meat. Hagen cut down all in it's way. Gozuki smashed them to the ground. Garm clawed and bit any that hindered it's progress. Oberon electrocuted any that dared to defy him. Cait Sith created gusts of wind as he sliced through many of the demons with the intent of slaughtering any who dared to stand in it's master's way. Lilim sadistically reduced any demon who came near it to mere ashes. Pixie had given a few demons a taste of it's own electricity, straight into their mouths. Kama had made excellent dummies out of the hordes, piercing them with many an arrow. Rakshasa was having the time of its life, slashing and hacking away at them. And the demonized AI, Yui, allowed her flaming blade to consume any an unfortunate denizen of the dark by the raging inferno that clung to her steel.

"So, that's him..." Louise noted, staring at the blue-haired teen intensely. "His power is miniscule... but it's growing at a terrifying pace. At this rate, it won't be long before he uncovers the truth."

"Indeed..." Naoya agreed with the demon. "He is slowly showing signs of remembering..."

"...Do you plan on telling him the whole truth when the time comes?" Louise asked.

"Of course I do...he is my brother after all..." He nodded.

"Hm...fair enough." Louise shrugged. But then his expression became stern as his gaze was focused on a certain black swordsman. "Naoya...you are aware of the implications the future will hold because of that one man, correct?"

"...I am. I just do not know how Kayaba Akihiko was able to do it." The silver haired male shook his head in exasperation. Not even HE could figure it out.

"Even still, no matter how he has managed to accomplish it, Akihiko Kayaba has certainly angered Polaris, and in turn, Canopus." Louise chuckled. "If the so-called 'Divine Providence' attempts to erase Kazuto Kirigaya, it will directly cause Polaris to lose any chance of regaining her Authority."

"And when that happens, she will no longer have complete control over this world." Naoya smirked. "After all, the Administrative Authority is what allows Administrators to access the Akashic Record in the first place. Because Kayaba managed to rob her of a small portion, she can't fully erase this world... Heh, this works out in their favor, I suppose."

"Indeed it does. Kayaba actually gave Humanity a better chance than they could ever hope for." The Demon grinned. "...Things will be getting interesting in the future...assuming they can get past this trial."

"They will." Naoya assured him. "Have a little faith in my brother."

"I do not doubt your words. But I wish to see their abilities for myself."

Naoya shrugged his shoulders, and continued to observe his brother, all the while feeling his anger burning in his heart.

Soon...soon...he and his brother will finally have their vengeance against Yehowa for making their lives...no...their EXISTENCES Hell...

Contrary to belief, God played favorites...he favored the individuals who he believed were worth the effort to recruit. Otherwise...they were left alone, neglected in his light.

After all...one would see a prime example out of Job. Despite the torture he was put through, he continued to believe in, worship, and pray to God for Salvation.

Job was a fool. A fool who so foolishly believed in God, not knowing his true nature. Yehowah had allowed him to kill his brother, all for the sake of creating a martyr that would represent a future, a symbol to be revered. This was what caused Naoya to feel such anger, such righteous anger that made his very existence bleed with seething hatred.

And when the Throne would present itself, they would finally have their chance... a chance to be free from it all. They would have their revenge, and they... they could have what they always wanted.

A normal life.

Naoya closed his eyes as he looked up at the slowly darkening sky. 'Just wait a little bit longer, Kazuya...' he asked, though he knew the boy could not hear him. 'Please, just a little bit longer..'

It was only a matter of time...before they were able to free this world from Gods Ordeals...

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, there's no end to these guys!" Klein growled as he ducked underneath a swing from Bilwis' pitchfork. "Agi!" the samurai shouted, thrusting his fist forward as it was encased in flame. The strike hit the demon square in the face, and the blast exploded, increasing the damage and sending it away, slamming into an ogre. "Rakshasa, NOW!"

"With PLEASURE!"

The Sword wielding demon leaped forward and swung both of his blades in rapid succession, slicing through both demons. He reappeared on the opposite side of them, their bodies falling apart in cleanly sliced pieces.

Agil and Gozuki were fairing just as much. The bull-headed demon was tearing right through them, swinging his axe and leaving behind a multitude of corpses while Agil himself provided defense for his demon, face set into a scowl as he brought up both arms.

"Multi-Hit."

With the speed and power of a boxer, the cafe owner slugged and mowed down through the horde of demons coming his way.

Suguha, Oberon, Asuna, and Lilim stood side by side together. The King of Fairies cleaved his way through the horde while the Caith Sith was slashing down every target in sight. Asuna left many demons frozen in ice while Suguha cut them all down with gusts of wind

In a matter of minutes...the group of Kobolds, Ogres, and Pixies were decimated.

"Dammit, when we take down one, two more take their place!" Atsuro cursed as he shot out a Zio to fry a Waira. Garm followed suit and clamped its jaws on the head of a Bilwis.

"We need to get to those COMP's, and fast!" Kirito shouted as he delivered a barrage of strikes to an oncoming horde. "But... how do we get past all of them?!"

"If only we could just blast right through them!" Kazuya growled before he felt his body heat up. 'W-what the...?'

The azure haired teen paused. This feeling...what is it...?!

Suddenly, as more demons approached, his COMP suddenly flicked with black and red sparks. Arsene paused, eyes turning to Kazuya. This presence... was it just his imagination, or was his master actually-

Then, suddenly, Kazuya's eyes flashed dark crimson, and a faint, yet noticeable black and red aura formed around him. Flames burned around his palm, but these were far more intensive, flowing all around his palm like a writhing snake.

The demons suddenly became afraid and began to back off, terrified by what they felt. It was a massive wave of klling intent, far beyond what any normal human should have been capable of.

Even worse... it was the power of a Bel. And that was what scared them.

This boy... was a human Bel!

"...Maragidyne."

From his palm, a torrent of flames reminiscent to an inferno shot out before him. The demons immediately turned to flee, lest they be killed. But the blazing wave was faster. In a few seconds, they were swallowed up in the fire.

And it wasn't just a small group of demons. No, this was a large portion of them. In a single blast, over fifty of the current hundred demons around them had been reduced to more ash.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, staring at the sight before them. They were left gobsmacked and silent.

"...holy shit." was all Klein had to say.

The group of demons that were left stared in horror as Kazuya gave them a cold, menacing glare, the red eyes gleaming with a demonic tint to it.

"...get the hell out of here."

His voice, unlike before, was oozing with power and killing intent. The cowering demons did not need to be told twice. They dropped everything they were doing and ran. They just ran away.

In a flash, the graveyard was void of demons. All that was left of them were the broken COMPs spewing miasma.

"...okay, I'll bite." Kirito gawked. "What the hell was THAT?!"

Kirito's remark made Kazuya blink, his red eyes vanishing almost instantly. The overwhelming power he sported earlier dissipated, as if it were never there to begin with. "W-what?"

"You heard me!" the Black Swordsman shouted. "You were like a total demon back there! You turned almost all of 'em into BBQ critters, and whatever was left just ran with their tails between their legs as seen as you looked at 'em!"

The azure-haired teen tilted his head in confusion. "I... did?"

"Wait...you don't remember what happened?" Yuzu asked incredulously. How could he not?!

"I...I don't know...everything just went...blank for a few moments...What happened?!"

"W-well..." Klein scratched his cheek. How was going to explain this. "If... you asked me, I'd say you pulled a Kirito."

"Pulled a Kirito?"

Suguha frowned as well, but then a certain memory came back to her. It was back when Kirito first began to play ALO, and when his Avatar still had it's spiky, wild mane. There had been one time when a PvP battle began, a group of Salamanders had ambushed them. Her brother had only recently begun to dabble in illusion magic, and tried it out for a field test.

She suddenly understood what Klein meant.

"...let's just say Kazuto can be very hardcore and brutal, and not remember how it happened." she explained. "you just basically casted something pretty damn powerful, and turned most of the demons to ash."

"Yui-chan," Asuna asked her daughter. "Do you know what that was?"

"Hai, mama. That was Maragidyne, a highly advanced spell." Yui informed. "It's the strongest Fire elemental spell that can be learned with the Skill Crack Function. However, that skill has not been unlocked yet, and no one here is strong enough yet to fully utilize it."

"Then how was Kazuya able to use it?" Sinon questioned. Everyone else had the same thought.

"I...I really don't know..." He shook his head.

"Ahem," Arsene coughed, bringing their attention to him. "Which is more important? A COMP gone wild, or how my master performed such a powerful spell?"

All of them paused as the thief made sense. First things first: They had to destroy those COMPs!

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yeesh, talk about work...!" Atsuro groaned. "Who knew these COMP's could cause so much trouble!"

"Well, at least one of 'em was salvageable." Yuzu said as she held the vibrant pink COMP in her hands. "The others were damaged pretty badly."

"Ain't that the truth?" Philia stated as she lifted her foot from the broken bits of what used to be a malfunctioning COMP.

In total, there were four COMPs that went haywire. They only managed to find one that could be saved. They had no other choice but to trash the others.

"Why were these things even out here, though?" Suguha frowned. "And how come all but one was trashed?"

"Well..." Atsuro said with a troubled sigh. "When the COMP's are activated, the Demon Summoning Program is activated, and in order to tame the demons that appear, you need to defeat them. That way, you can form a contract."

Agil frowned heavily. "In other words... these are results of failed contracts."

A heavy silence lingered through the cemetery. So...the people who couldn't defeat the demons were...

"...damn, that's horrible." Agil muttered, shaking his head. "Christ, and here I thought things couldn't get any worse."

"I...don't mean to be the bearer of bad news...but what about that Demon Attack with 50 casualties...?"

The others looked at Atsuro then immediately to the clock on their COMPs.

They had less than ten minutes.

"SHIT!"

Without another word, the group ran.

XXXXXXXXXX

Midori had never felt so scared in all of her life.

Around her, Demons just appeared out of nowhere. They immediately went to attack nearby civilians. Some of them managed to get away...others...weren't so fortunate.

Keisuke stood in front of her, arms outstretched defensively as he glared at the oncoming horde. "There's so many...!" he cursed as he looked at the oncoming horde. Many demons approached them, however these varied. Red-skinned hounds, gourds with writhing snakes, and even two new forms. One was some sort of hybrid between a deformed fish with a doe head, and the other was some kind of demented creature with dark fur and a beak, despite bearing clawed feet and hands.

He didn't even know what to make of it all. But he did realize one thing...this...may be how his life comes to a close.

It was pretty obvious. His Death Clock was at 0 and this seemed like a situation where there was no escape from.

But even so...even so...! He had to protect Midori!

"K-Keisuke...!" Midori whimpered behind him. "I-I'm scared...!"

Keisuke looked over his shoulder, seeing her trembling form. Seeing that was all the motivation he needed as he brought out his COMP, blue in color. "Midori, go hide with the others in the subway tunnel!" he told her. "I'll hold them off!"

"W-what?"

The boy didn't answer her as he flipped the top open. "Come forth, my demons! Jack Frost! Pyro Jack!"

Twin pillars of light hone down before him, revealing two new demons. The both were petite in form, yet they were so different.

The one on the left was a short, snowman-like figure wearing blue booties, a blue winter cap, and a blue scarf. His face was grinning and happy.

The one on the right floated in midair, its body from the neck down covered in a two-tone blue cape. In its white-gloved hands was a glowing flame lantern. Its head was reminiscent to a Jack O Lantern, with blazing orange eyes that remind one of embers. On its head was a blue wizard's hat.

"Hee-ho!" the demons cried in unison. Midori gasped in shock, taking a step back.

"W-what the?! Y-you can summon demons?!"

"Don't worry, they won't hurt you!" Keisuke assured her. "They're my friends! Now, hurry! Get underground!"

"B-but-?!"

"Now!"

Midori wanted to stay, but she relented due to the urgency in Keisuke's voice.

"...Alright...but please don't die!"

He didn't reply as she ran inside. The demons edged closer, but he remained steadfast, Pyro Jack and Jack Frost by his side. The plushy-like demon clapped its hands together, bringing forth a frigid chill to the air while the pumpkin-headed Demon's lantern began to flicker wildly.

"No matter what happens..." he swore to himself. "I have to defend that girl! Even if it costs me my life!"

"And Hee will stand by you ho!" Jack Frost chirped.

"Ho straight!" Pyro Jack added.

Keisuke smiled. It was great to know that they had his back. He then focused back on the demons, and allowed electricity to flow around his body. "Here we go...! Elec Dance!"

Keisuke thrust his arm outward, bolts of electricity dancing along his limb and palm and shot out at the surrounding demons.

Most of the blast severely wounded most of them, but the winged demons simply cawed in amusement, as their flesh was left only slightly burnt. Keisuke cursed in realization. "That Gigayson is strong against electrical attacks, huh...? In that case! Pyro Jack!"

"Right, Hee Ho!" The Floating Lantern nodded as plumes of fire shout out from its lamp.

The blast flowed forward, but the attack was deflected by the strange fish/doe demons. Those that did not reflect it were left screaming as their flesh was seared.

"Kehehehe... nice try, pathetic human!" Gigayson jeered. "Now, it's our turn-!"

"Beg pardon."

The speech was interrupted when a sharpened, taloned hand burst through its chest. From behind, a bewildered Keisuke could see a pair of misty black wings.

"Guh...Wh-what...?!" The winged demon gargled as it turned his head around. Its eyes widened as it came face to face with the red eyes of the Devil...

The demon in question wore a fine red suit, albeit demented and twisted with a neck muffler, sporting a black hat atop its head. Covering it's face was a steel, black mask with flaming eyes and mouth, which was curled into a gleaming, malicious grin.

"Hello," the Tyrant, Arsene, greeted with animosity of equal darkness. "And goodbye~"

The thief held the Demon's heart in his hand...and crushed it like an egg. The Gigayson fell limp...completely dead. Arsene chucked the demon away before facing the rest.

"Now then... who's next?"

The wild demons grew uncertain. They could feel the heavy waves of killing intent and malice stream off of the winged thief.

Keisuke was in the same boat, though he was more or less shocked to see a demon taking down its own kind. Where had it come from? Moreover, why was it here?

"Oh, what's this?" Arsene chuckled. "Afraid of little old me? Well then... if you won't come to me...!"

He disappeared before their eyes. Before the other demons could react, two of them had hands sticking out of their chests with hands clutching their hearts.

"...I'll just come to you."

With a sickening 'crunch', he reduced them to mere gushes of blood as their bodies fell apart. A few demons cried in outrage, and tried to attack him from behind-

"Multi-Strike!"

-only to receive a furious onslaught of attacks.

They crashed forward, revealing the group of people behind them.

Keisuke's eyes widened in shock. "A-Atsuro?!"

"Keisuke!" the cap-wearing teen grinned. "We're here to save the day!"

"Wh-what are you guys doing here?! You are all in danger! Please leave!"

"Sorry, but we're not leaving a friend to die here!"

"Amen to that." Kirito nodded. "Now, put up, or suck up!"

As he said that, he fried a Bilwis with a Zio.

Keisuke merely stared at them in mere wonder, watching as they continued to battle against the horde. Eventually, he found himself smiling. "...alright, then help me out! There are people hiding in the subway! We can't let any of these demons get here!"

"Got it! Klein, you, Keisuke, and Agil go sentinel to the subway entrance. At auto, you, Yuzu, and Sinon take care of the demons on the right."

The group nodded, and went to their respective stations.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hahahahahaha... what a truly splendid sight!"

The Gigolo cackled in amusement. He had been observing the entire scene on the balcony of a nearby building.

"Look at you all!" he grinned widely. "Fighting against fate with every ounce of strength! With every fiber of your being! Yes, that's it! This is what I've wanted to see in you foolish creatures! Fight! Struggle! Resist! Fight back against God's orders with every last damned ounce in your feeble forms!"

Oh how he enjoyed watching the puny creatures struggle against a higher power. He didn't really believe in human potential so much as watching their determination.

Truly, an amusing sight.

But then again... his boss was so genuinely curious about them, so fascinated by their potential to go to great strides. Hahahaaha, that was how it should be! To continue to struggle with all your damned might against a power that you believe to be injust... there was truly no difference between humans and demons at all.

"Truly...Naoya may be right about those kids..."

The mere thought was enough to make him giggle. Oh, he couldn't wait for this war to truly start! Aaaah, if only Beldr could appear today!

He desperately wished that tomorrow will come sooner. He wanted to the party of Hell and Heaven!

He wanted to be so entertained!

XXXXXXXXXX

"Papa, Mama! There are only three demons remaining!"

Yui called out to her parents, both of which had finished dispatching their own opponents.

"Right, Yui!" Kirito turned to face the final trio, with Hagen at the vanguard.

Cait Sith stood beside the black warrior, cutlass in hand.

"Let us end this struggle!" The Black swordsman declared.

"Right, nya~" The Feline fencer agreed.

The trio of demons were the snake-filled Gord, a Garm, and one other unique demon. This one stood out from the others, being similar in form to the bipedal horse from before. However, this one was clothed... and armed.

It was Mezuki, the partner of Gozuki and another one of Yama's subordinates.

"Here they come!" Philia gritted her teeth as Spriggan stood beside her, glaring daggers at the demons. It was a brief, tense period of silence between the two.

Then, they charged at one another.

The sword wielders struck first. Cait Sith sliced through Garm's leg while Hagen clashed weapons with Mezuki. Spriggan brought its fists hands on the snake gourd.

The gourd proved to be slow, yet it's attacks were far-reaching as it moved away from the attack to a fair distance. Bolts of electricity came flying at the giant, yet it's thick skin proved to be an excellent shield against it. Cait Sith and Garm were in a game of the classic cat and mouse, and perhaps reliving the feud between cat and dog. One tried to bite the other, and the latter tried to cut down the former.

Hagen, however, proved to be a terrifying warrior as he clashed with Mezuki, his strikes hard, fast, and overwhelming. Mezuki showed no signs of weakness, proving to be rather agile in it's movements as it evaded, moved around, and tried to strike at his back, only be parried by the sheath.

"You are a skilled foe...a shame that I must slay you..." The Samurai spoke solemnly.

"Arrogant prick!" The bipedal horse growled.

The two clashed again, this time with even more ferocity.

"I am just a simple warrior who fights for his master! You are a wild beast needed to be slain!"

"WHY YOU...!"

"Now fall!" Hagen broke the bout and swung viciously downward. The Horse backpedaled to avoid it, but the blade suddenly turned upwards.

"Holy Strike!"

The rising edge was engulfed in a radiant glow. Mezuki didn't even have a chance to cry out as his' head was sliced in two straight through the middle.

The rest of his body was burned away by a beautiful, red and white flame. Hagen scoffed as he slipped his blade into his sheath. Elsewhere, Cait Sith and Garm were in the finishing end. The hound was panting, its body shaking while the cat was panting heavily, scars marring its fine fur.

However, the feline stood up tall, twirling hiss saber in hand. He raised his paw in a mocking gesture. The canine snarled and using the remainder of its strength, leaped forward.

The Garm didn't even realize what the feline warrior had planned until it tilted it's blade.

"...Mighty Hit!"

The blade thrust forward, piercing the beast through the skull.

A second passed. Two, then three.

Finally, the demon dispersed into light.

The only one left was the snake in the gourd.

The gourd was shaking as Spriggan approached it with heavy steps, it's glaring eye focused on it with such intensity.

The snake, viewed tiny in comparison to the hulking beast, trembled in fear. Spriggan however, gave no mercy as he brought his fist down.

"...GET!"

The fist crushed the ground beneath it as the demon was reduced to nothing more than bloody paste.

"And it looks like that's all of them..." Kazuya stated as the battle ended.

"You...You guys actually did it!" Keisuke breathed in amazement. As he did so, the number above his head had increased by 5.

The group smiled back at him, though Klein was panting heavily. "Sheesh, what's with all the hordes lately?!" he complained. "It's like they're forming their own posse!"

"I know...it's very disturbing..." Agil huffed. "Seriously...where are they all coming from?!"

"I wish I knew," Keisuke responded as Pyro Jack and Jack Frost returned to his COMP. "But... I think it might have to do with the people who haven't made successful contracts with their demons."

Kirito blanched, having recalled this similar conversation before. "...you mean the COMP's that've gone haywire, right?" he asked, earning a nod. "We found two going nuts by Aoyama Cemetery. We were able to salvage one of them, but the other was busted up."

"Oh, speaking of haywire..." Atsuro thought aloud. "Keisuke, have you ever heard of an instance where you could obtain a Skill, even though you've never obtained it, much less able to use it?"

Keisuke frowned at this. Why was he asking that? "No... no that I know of. I mean, I was able to get the strongest lightning skill a demon had, Ziodyne, but I'm not able to use it yet. Why do you ask?"

"Because," the cap-wearing teen jabbed a thumb at Kazuya. "He was able to use something called Maragidyne, even though he wasn't able to use it, much less had it registered by stealing it off a demon."

"M-Maragidyne?!...I-Isn't that the strongest fire skill?!"

"Yeah..." Sinon nodded. "We don't even know how he was able to use it."

"Yui doesn't know how he did it, either." Klein said. "Not only that, he looked fucking terrifying! Do you know what he did after roasting 'em?! Gave 'em a glare, and next thing you know, they run with their tails between their legs!"

"Wait...what?!" Keisuke whipped his head to Kazuya, who was just as perplexed. He...actually made demons cower under his gaze?

"I...I don't even remember what happened at the time."

"Once again, he pulled a Kirito-kun." Philia repeated herself. "Still... you don't know anything about something like that happening?"

"N-no..." Keisuke shook his head in honesty. "I've... never heard of anything like that happening."

"Geez...things are just getting more and more confusing...!" Suguha groaned.

"H-hey! HEEEEEEEEY!"

The group turned around and saw Midori running up to them from the subway tunnel. The rest of the civilians who took shelter followed her.

The civilians looked somewhat disturbed, but if the relieved smiles on their faces meant anything, they were grateful that they came around. Midori, on the other hand... she looked like a giddy child, stars lit in her eyes, much like how she was when she met Kirito.

"That. Was. AMAZING!" She jumped up to the Demon Tamers with stars in her eyes. "You guys were all awesome! You were like, wham! Pow! Zap! Crack! Fwoosh!" SHe emphasized the sound effects with random hand motions.

"T-thank you all so much!" one of the people in the crowd said in relief. "It-it was surprising, seeing you kids with demons, but... god, thank you! Thank you all!"

"Yeah...I thought we were goners!" A random salary man sighed in relief.

"Well, we were glad we were able to help." Agil said. "And sorry for the scare. They may be demons, but ours won't hurt you. We can guarantee you, that."

"W-well...I guess we all can believe that..."

"Hey, hey!" Midori pulled Keisuke, Atsuro, and Kazuya away from the crowd as Kirito began to explain things to them, while also trying to gather some information. "How did you guys do that stuff?! Are you like superheroes or something?!"

"N-no...we're nothing like that." Asuna denied.

"We were only able to fight them thanks to these." Atsuro pulled out his COMP.

"Then, can I fight demons if I had one?!"

Keisuke immediately felt as if they were stepping on a landmine. He knew exactly where this would go. "W-well... you could, but before that, you need to defeat the demon that appears out of it. After you've done that, you've formed a successful contract. But... it's dangerous, and also risky."

"Huuuh?!" Instantly, Midori became disheartened. "B-but why?!"

"There is a chance that you will lose to the demon that comes out of it." Kazuya said. "And if you do...well..."

"W-what? What happens?"

Kazuya gave her a straight face. "...you die."

Midori looked as if a bomb had been dropped on her. In a way...one had.

"R-really...?"

"Yeah..." Kirito nodded, his voice leaving room for no jokes.

"That being said, Midori..." Keisuke told her, deadly serious. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to wield a COMP."

"B-but...!"

"We're serious about this, Midori." Kazuya interjected. "Having a COMP means that you will be dragged into constant fights with other demons and even other demon tamers."

"M-maybe..." the girl said, her head lowered. "B-but... can you really just think I can stand by and watch people suffer?"

"..." Kirito remained silent as he listened to her. Asuna listened as well. She turned her head to Kirito, herself being reminded of how her boyfriend used to be.

Midori was something like him, except it was more along the lines of feeling helplessness, a feeling that she had been feeling ever since the lockdown began. She watched as several people around her wallowed around in sadness, grieving over things that had come to fall upon them.

It was wrong... all wrong!

She...she wanted to help them! She didn't want to just sit around and wait for things to happen. She wanted to go out there and make a difference, dammit!

"Please, Kirito-san!" Midori begged. "Let me be a Demon Tamer... Let me be a hero, like you!"

"This isn't a game, Midori!" the Black Swordsman snapped angrily.

"I know that!" The cosplayer snapped back.

"Then you also know that you could die!"

"So what?! It's better than watching people suffer!"

"NOTHING IS BETTER THAN THAT!"

Kirito was growing angrier by the second. Why couldn't this girl see sense?!

"So you just want me to sit around while other people die?!"

"K-Kirigaya..." Keisuke spoke hesitantly, glancing back at Midori. "I... I know it's a bad idea, but... but maybe we should give her a COMP."

"WHAT?!" Kirito snapped at the bespectacled teen. The man in question flinched as the survivor's gaze was trained on him. He...he never saw such rage before...

"K-Kirito, calm down!" Atsuro advised, though he was also taken aback. He had never seen him so violent before, not even when they were playing back at ALO. "I...I agree with Keisuke! I mean, come on! Think about it! If she had a demon with her, she'd at least be safe!"

"She'll be safe if she stays at a shelter with the Shomonkai!"

"Can you really believe that though?! If she stays at a shelter, then there is no telling WHEN she would be attacked!"

"It-it could be better if she has something to protect herself!" Keisuke tried to defend himself. "Come on, Kirigaya! Wouldn't you do the same if it was Asuna!"

This caused Kirito to stop. If...if it were Asuna?

"Come on, think about it man!" Atsuro suggested. "I mean, sure, it's risky... but it's better of having no protection at all!"

"...tch, fine."

Begrudgingly, Kirito pulled out the pink COMP they obtained from the Cemetery.

"Thank you!" Midori said happily, swiping it from his hands. "You won't regret it, I swear!"

'I hope I won't...' the hero of SAO thought darkly, still having reservations about the whole thing.

"Anyway..." Atsuro decided to change the subject, still sensing the tension in the air. "Midori, by any chance, have you seen a guy with silver hair and red eyes anywhere? His name is Naoya."

"A man with silver hair..." She pressed a finger to get chin in thought, searching her memory. However, she came up with a blank. "Sorry...no."

"Ah, well..." Kazuya sighed. "It was worth a try."

"I guess we're back to square one again..."

"Sometimes, I think it's just a wild goose chase." Asuna sighed. "Still... you need to be careful, Midori. Summoning demons is not a joke."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful!" the chipper girl replied. Keisuke sighed in worry. He was not convinced. "I... think I should help you out. No offense, but... you don't look like you could handle whatever will come out."

"You sound like you speak from experience." Kirito remarked, earning a sheepish smile in return.

"Well... let's just say that, while Jack Frost may look cute, he's just as cold as the rest of 'em."

XXXXXXXXXX

The sun had long since set when they had returned to Shinjuku Park, the sky painted a dark color, stars shining above them.

"Man...what a day..." Atsugi sighed in exhaustion.

"I know. And we still don't even have a clue on Naoya."

"Well, we've got bigger things to worry about right now." Agil said as he sat down on the bench. "We're gonna be dealing with some immortal demon tomorrow... not exactly looking forward to that."

"I hear that..." Klein groaned. "Seriously, why do all the crazy things happen to us?!"

"Well, what's happened has happened." Sinon said bluntly. "For now, let's focus on the tasks at hand. We know that Beldr is weak to something, but what is it?"

"I dunno, why are you asking us?" Atsuro said, depressed. "You got any ideas?"

"...well, actually..."

"Wait, seriously?!" the teen whirled around in shock, eyes widening. Everyone turned to the Swordsman in surprise. Did he know what could defeat him?!

"W-well, my memory is kinda fuzzy, but..." Kirito said nervously. "I think I remember hearing about this from Rain. It was back during that Svart Alfheim questline. If I remember right... Loki tricked Baldr's brother into killing him. If I remember right, it was some kind of misltoe."

"Mistletoe..." Sinon frowned. "Actually... yeah, I think I remember that too."

"You gotta be kiddin' me," Klein gaped. "The thing to killing some badass immortal is a freaking kissing plant?!"

"By the sound of things...yes." Kirito said. "The question is where we are going to get some in the Yamanote circle."

"More importantly, what kind of mistletoe are we looking for?" Philia asked. "I mean, not just any mistletoe can kill a demigod. There's got to be something to hint at."

"Yeah, that's true." Agil sighed in annoyance. "What are we looking for, here? There's hundreds of different types of plants!"

"Gah...it would take forever just to search for the right one! And Beldr is appearing tomorrow!" Atsuro scowled in frustration.

"And to top it off, there's all these demons showing up." Asuna said worriedly. "I wonder... how many people have failed their contracts?"

"Don't forget the people who are abusing the COMP's, like those yakuza guys from earlier today." Klein recalled. "We might have to deal with them too!"

"Dammit! Everything is happening too quickly. It's only been the second day of the lockdown and already so much is going on. Who knows what else besides Beldr and the Bel demons will be waiting for us?!"

"Don't jinx us, Atsuro." Kazuya said. "We need to find Naoya... he has to know what is going on."

"Same goes for Amane." Kirito added his two cents. "She obviously knows what's going on"

"So we have two more objectives in addition to searching for the mistletoe we need."

"Haaaaaah..." Yui sighed. "This is all so complicated..."

Asuna and Kirito smiled sweetly at her as they patted her on the head. "It'll be fine, Yui-chan." she told her beloved daughter. "We'll work it out somehow."

"Yeah...but who knows what tomorrow will bring..."

"We'll deal with stuff as it comes." Kazuya shrugged. "That's what we've been doing. Then again, who knows? Maybe the Laplace Mail will tell us something tomorrow."

"Yeah, true." Suguha nodded in agreement. "Let's hit some shut-eye... one of us should stand guard though, just in case."

"Yeah, and don't forget to charge the COMP's." Agil suggested. "Don't want them dying out on us."

"Yeah," Sinon chuckled mirthlessly. "That would suck."

"It's a good thing Keisuke led us to these portable chargers." Atsuro grinned as he pulled his out. "We probably wouldn't last without them."

"No kiddin'," Klein grinned. "We'd be in deep shit."

"KLEIN! LANGUAGE!"

"Yeesh, sorry!"

"But still...I'm getting more and more curious about this War for the Throne. Maybe some light will be shed on the matter tomorrow...after all...well be running into Beldr eventually..."

"Speaking of that, this crap with the Bels is weird." Sinon frowned. "They're all supposed to be strong demons, right? So why do we have a representative?"

"No clue. That's one of the only things that's been bugging me. Why was humanity part of this war as well?"

Kazuya sighed in frustration. "There's too much we don't know, and too little answers."

"Amen to that." Kirito agreed. Nothing was making any sense so far. It was like they were given only bits and pieces of a large scale puzzle and none of them fit.

"...screw it, let's get some shut-eye." Klein muttered as he yawned. "I'm dog-tired..."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Let's get some sleep while we can."

"I agree..." Kirito closed his eyes. "...A lot is going to happen tomorrow."

**To Be Continued...**

_Preview:_

"I told you it was a bad idea!"

"N-no way! I won't run! Not when I can be a hero, like Kirito-san!"

"It's almost time... By the end of the day, the true king shall emerge, and the war can finally begin."

"Weep for me! Grieve for me!"

"...I...will kill you."

**Next Time: Day 3 - Beldr**


	4. Chapter 4

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.**

**I highly recommend you check them all out.**

**I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

**Thank you to all who continue to support this story. **

**Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother. **

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 3: Beldr**

It was Day 3 of the Lockdown. The chaos and blockade have yet to be resolved.

And once more, the group was in for a rude awakening.

"Gah...Dammit..." Klein groaned. "I can never get used to sleeping on the ground."

"I hear that..." Kirito mumbled as he cracked his neck. "I think I slept on the tree... My neck is all kinds of sore."

"The same could be said for my back..." Agil agreed as he twisted his back, allowing several cracks to be heard.

The others also woke up, with Philia having slumped next to Suguha and Yuzu, while Asuna and Yui slept together.

Kazuya was the only one to still be asleep, slumped against the concrete block.

XXXXXXXXXX

_"O-oi... slow down, Akuma!"_

"Try to keep up, AT-LOW! We're almost to the Spriggan Territory!"

_Kazuya laughed._

He couldn't wait. They were so close!

_It had been less than a month since they had gotten ALfheim Online, and needless to say, they rushed to put on their AmuSphere to play it. The sensation was phenomenal to them, especially this sensation... it was so incredible to him. It felt like a dream, especially soaring through the air like this!_

_Even if it was virtual, the feeling was as real as it could get. The rush of flying through the skies as free as a bird! Granted, when they first entered the game, their faces became well-acquainted with the ground._

_It... wasn't a fun experience._

_Despite the rocky start, they really enjoyed what ALfheim had to offer. They eventually managed to get the flying bit down._

_"I swear, dude, you are going too fast!" Atsuro complained. As a Gnome, his appearance looked relatively the same, wearing a heavy blue coat with green trims and black hair underneath the hood. He had dark green marks underneath his eyes, resembling scars. Kazuya was a Leprechaun, his hair cut in the same style, except it was colored a much lighter color, almost silver, and had on a short-sleeve black jacket with silver trims. "Seriously, man! Slow down! It's not like the place's going anywhere!"_

_"I can't help it, AT-LOW..." Akuma grinned. "I'm too excited."_

_"Yeah, well, tone it down will ya?!"_

_Atsuro could understand his friend's excitement, but c'mon!_

_Akuma chuckled, but continued to speed away. Atsuro sighed, but quickly followed after him._

_Eventually, they made it into Spriggan territory._

_"Holy crap..." Atsuro panted, his hands on his knees. "We... are never... doing... that... again."_

_"Well, what are you waiting for? C'mon! Let's go!" Akuma then broke out into a sprint._

"_H-Hey, wait for me!"_

_Atsuro ran after his friend. Seriously! It was like he was a different person than IRL!_

_It took nearly ten minutes before the computer geek caught up with his friend, who was running through the streets, carefully avoiding hitting other players. "Dude, will you slow down?!" he shouted at Kazuya, running right behind him. "Look, I get this is a limited-time event, but there's no need to rush!"_

"I know!" the blue-haired boy replied. "But Naoya's going to be there! I haven't seen him in forever!"

_"I know that too, but c'mon, Akuma! I know you haven't seen Naoya in a while...but he knows to wait for you!"_

"C'mon AT-LOW! You know you're as excited as I am!" Eventually Atsuro finally caught up to his pace.

_The tech geek chuckled sheepishly. "Okay, you got me there, but still!"_

"Just c'mon! We might miss him if we don't-OOF!" Akuma was cut off, being abruptly being thrown to the ground, colliding into someone. Atsuro immediately skidded to a halt, concerned for his friend as he whirled around.

_Whoa, are you okay there, Akuma?" AT-LOW checked on his friend._

"I think so. Are you alright sir?" The Leprechaun was more concerned for the person he bumped into.

_He looked up to see the person he bumped into. It was a Spriggan with patted down black hair, wearing a black coat with a fur lining and a light blue accent mark along the sides and arms. On his back were a pair of twin blades, and like all ALO Avatars, he had pointed ears._

"Y-yeah..." the black-clad man groaned. "Damn that hurts..."

_"Sorry about that. Guess I didn't watch where I was going..." Akuma held a hand out to help him up._

"It's fine. I'm equally to blame." The stranger took the hand.

_Pulling him up, Akuma absently noted how tall the stranger was. "Still, sorry." he said, bowing his head. "I should have been more careful."_

"Eh, don't worry about it." the black-clad man told him, smiling as he waved it off. "No harm done. Still, what's got you guys in a hurry?"

"There's a limited-time event going on right now," Atsuro informed him. "And this guy's cousin is supposed to be there. He hasn't seen him in a long time, so he's really excited to see him again."

_"Ah, I see. But I think it's a coincidence. I was just on my way to meet my friends for the event as well."_

"Really? Then maybe we can all go together."

_The stranger grinned. "Sure!" he said, agreeing with the idea. "The more the merrier, I say!"_

_"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go already!"_

_With that, the newly formed group of three started running. As they did so, the two failed to notice the small mass of black hair sticking out from the coat pocket of the black-haired stranger's jacket. "Psst!" The owner of this small mass of hair was a short girl wearing a pink dress and fairy-like wings. "Papa! Are you sure it's a good idea to bring them along?"_

_"It's fine, Yui." The man whispered back. "This guy seems pretty eager to see his cousin, so why not?"_

_The girl, now named Yui, tilted her head as she folded her arms. "If you say so, Papa."  
_  
XXXXXXXXXX

"...uya? Hey, Kazuya!"

The blue-haired teen slowly began to stir from his slumber, eyes fluttering open as he forced himself to adjust to the harsh sunlight. Above him were Atsuro and Kirito. "Oh..." he yawned, holding a hand over his mouth as he rose up. "Hey... morning."

"Man...took you long enough. We've been trying to wake you up for a good five minutes."

"Sorry..." he replied, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes. "I was having a good dream... So, has the Laplace Mail come in yet?

"Not yet. But it should be coming soon."

"What were you dreaming about?" Sinon asked out of curiosity. "Must be something good to make you really stoned."

Kazuya smiled sheepishly. "It was the day when me, Atsuro, and you guys first met in ALfheim."

"Oh yeah. It was during that limited time Winter event, right?"

"Hahahahaha," the techno geek chuckled. "Man, that brought back memories. To think it's already been a year since then."

"Yeah, you're right." Kirito agreed. To think it had already been a year since he asked Naoya take him in as his apprentice.

"We kicked ass in that event." Klein smiled upon remembrance.

"Oh yeah..." Asuna giggled. "That was pretty fun."

Philia frowned, having trouble remembering the event. "What was that event again? I know Sumeragi-sagi and Seven were orchestrating it as a sort of campaign for ALfheim."

Yuzu raised an eyebrow. "Um... who?"

"Sumeragi and Seven. Or rather, Ryouta Sumeragi and Nanairo Alsharvin. They were our friends back in ALO." Kirito answered.

"Don't forget about Rain-san too, papa." Yui reminded.

"Still got no idea who they are." Yuzu deadpanned.

Atsuro sighed. "Nanairo Alsharvin, or Seven as she's better known as, is a prodigy in the tech world. Not only did she graduate one of the most prestigious universities at a young age, she's also considered to be one of the top ten idols in Japan right now." The teen put a hand to his chin. "If I remember right, she's currently on par with another singer from the Indie scene."

"Indie...?" Klein raised an eyebrow. "How much you wanna bet that's Haru?"

"Probably is." Kazuya said. "Unless you know of any other singers from the Indie." Just then, a synchronized beep echoed into the air. "There's the Laplace mail." the blue-haired boy said, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat. "Well... here's hoping whatever happens is good."

He pulled the COMP from his pocket, and opened it. After a few inputs, the screen shifted over to the mailbox.

**FROM: The Observer  
Subject: Laplace Mail**

NEWS.

1) At 18:00 in Minato-ku Aoyama Cemetery, Belder the immortal will be revived. Over 300 casualties will be effected.

[][]ve a N[]ce day.

"What the...300 victims?! No way...!" Yuzu gasped.

The others were in similar states. Agil's face was set into a grim mask, while Klein and Philia looked pale. Atsuro and Shino looked very disturbed, disbelief and shock written across their faces while Asuna and Suguha could scarcely believe what they were reading. Kirito and Kazuya were the only ones to have a serious look to them, eyes narrowed.

There was no way they were going to let this Beldr kill all those people. The same thought ran through both their minds.

"Beldr...that's the demons' boss...He's finally here."

"So, we just beat him, and we should be safe for a while..." Klein said, unsure. "Right?"

"That's what we're assuming." Atsuro nodded. "He's one of the five Bels, so naturally, we might have to fight the other four." A sigh escaped him. "Although... I wish we didn't have to. Would it be wishful thinking that if we bet Beldr we can go back to a normal life?"

"Probably would," Agil chortled. "But it'd be nice. Makes me wish things were always that simple."

"Unfortunately, they never were." Kirito deadpanned. "And for some reason, I don't feel like beating Beldr would be easy...otherwise, he wouldn't be called an immortal."

"Yeah..." Atsuro sighed. "We need to find that mistletoe, and fast!"

"Um... Did I catch you guys at a bad moment?"

"Huh?" The group turned around the source. The hat-wearing teen widened his eyes.

"Keisuke?"

The brown-haired boy smiled sheepishly. "Hey." he greeted. "Sorry if I interrupted you guys."

"No no, it's fine." Yuzu said. "We were just discussing something. So... what's up?"

"I've been looking for you all."

"Did something happen?" Kazuya asked.

"Well, something's come up...it's about Midori..." His expression showed signs of anxiety. "Letting her have a COMP may have been...a mistake..."

At this, Kirito's eyes narrowed at him. "...Go on." His voice was tense.

"Okay...She started saying she was going to use the COMP to help people out. We let her have the COMP so she could protect herself against demons, but..."

"She didn't make the contract?" Kazuya guessed.

"No...She beat the demon that emerged and formed a contract with it...with my help. But...ever since she started swearing to help people, her death clock decreased..."

"W-wait, what?!" Asuna cried in shock, eyes wide. "What do you mean?!"

"I told her to give up the COMP, but she wouldn't listen! "

"But...Midori hasn't grouped up with anyone, right?! Shouldn't she be able to see her own death clock...?" Yuzu inquired.

"Right...but she doesn't even realize that's what the number above her means." Keisuke shook his head. " I tried explaining it to her, but she won't listen at all. At this rate...she will die to tomorrow..."

At this, Kirito had heard enough. He marched up and grabbed Keisuke by the collar. "See?! This was why I didn't want Midori to have a COMP! Now do you understand?!" He snapped angrily. "You just let her sign her own death wish!"

Keisuke refused to meet his gaze. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would happen!"

"I told you it was a bad idea!"

"Kirito! Calm down!" Atsuro grabbed his arm. "Look, I know things are bad but-"

"Bad...BAD?! That's not even enough to describe this! It's a disaster!"

"We know that!" Atsuro snapped back. "And we'll going to fix it! Look, we can't just leave Midori alone if she's closer to getting killed!"

"He's right, Kirito-kun." Asuna nodded in agreement. "Regardless of whether or not it was a mistake, we have to help her."

The Black Swordsman gritted his teeth. He should've stood his ground and refused to give Midori the COMP in the first place! Now she's off doing something naive and stupid!

"Dammit!" He let go of Keisuke.

"Look, Kirito-kun..." Shino said, looking directly at him. "What's done is done. Now we have to deal with the aftermath." A smile formed on her face. "Don't worry. We'll set her straight."

"Damn right we will." Klein smirked, though it fell a second later. "Yare yare... First we got to deal with some immortal monster, now we gotta save a damsel in distress. Talk about one busy schedule!"

Keisuke frowned. "Immortal monster?" he questioned, looking to Kazuya. "Did... something happen?"

"We just learned about a powerful monster called Beldr that is going to be appearing today at the Aoyama Cemetery." he answered. "It's supposedly immortal, and if the Norse legends are to be believed, the only thing that can kill it is some kind of mistletoe."

"Mistletoe? The parasitic plant used for Christmas tradition?" He repeated as if he heard right.

"Yep. It was weird to us to. But that myth is all we have to go on. It may be our only hope of beating this immortal."

The brown-haired boy nodded, seeming to understand this before he paused. "Keisuke?" Atsuro questioned, noticing how deep in thought his friend looked. "Something up?"

"...it sounds like you guys are going to have it pretty rough." he commented. "Would you... mind if I tagged along?"

Everyone was stunned. They stared at Keisuke as if he had grown a second head, unable to believe what he had just said. Kazuya looked the most disturbed, as an unsettling expression crossed his face. "...Keisuke, you can see the Death Clock, right?"

He nodded.

"And... you can see it's zero, right?"

Again, he received another nod. "I can... And?"

"And!? Well, you know that it means well die today, right?!"

"I'm fully aware of that."

"So why do you want to join us?"

"Because I feel responsible." Keisuke answered, his face utterly serious. "If I had maybe agreed with Kirigaya-san, then maybe Midori wouldn't be in this situation... I feel like it's my fault." His fists clenched as he looked back at them with the utmost seriousness. "That's why... I need to make up for it."

The others seemed to agree with his statement. He made a mistake, and he is willing to correct it. Kirito stared at him for the longest time in contemplation. Finally, he gave his answer. "...Okay. At least you are willing to atone for your mistakes."

Keisuke smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Kirigaya-san." As soon as he said that, his Death Clock readout changed.

It had gone from 5 to 0. Kazuya and Kirito grimaced upon seeing it, but they understood Keisuke's decision. He wanted to do something, in order to make up for his actions. "Well, glad to have you on board, Keisuke." Atsuro chuckled. "Still, I gotta ask... Why so worried about Midori? I get she's super famous on the net as Dolly, but..."

"Er, well..."

As the brown-haired male tried to find a proper response, Atsuro's eyes widened, as if realizing something. "Wait, don't tell me..." he said, gaping in shock before a large grin formed across his face. "Oho, Keisuke, you sly dog~! I didn't know you had a thing for Midori!"

"I-It's not like that at all! It's just...well...I'm..." Keisuke stammered.

"Just what, huh? Heh heh..." Atsuro chuckled.

"No, really! It's not that!" He denied. "...I convinced you all to let Midori have a COMP...and then I taught her how to use it..."

"So, it's about guilt?" Klein guessed, earning a nod. "Well, that makes sense... but you sure it isn't because you have a thing for Midori-chan?" he grinned, earning a spluttering blush from Keisuke. "After all, the two of you DID seem pretty close~"

"W-We're not!" The bespectacled teen denied strongly. "We didn't even meet until just the other day! Please stop implying that there is something between us!"

"You sure about that?" Atsuro joined in on the teasing. "Your face is pretty red!"

"J-just drop it already! Please!" He begged, his hands covering his face.

"Alright boys...I think you had enough fun with him." Asuna crossed her arms in amusement.

"Yeah," Shino giggled. "I think he's been tormented enough."

The boys groaned in disappointment, while Keisuke was very thankful they spared him.

"While all this banter is amusing...don't we have something to do?" Agil reminded them all.

"Yeah," Philia nodded. "We've got to find that mistletoe to stop Beldr."

"And don't forget we have to stop Midori too." Keisuke reminded them. "So that makes two objectives. This Beldr shouldn't appear until sunset, so we should have plenty of time. The real question is, who would have information to stop an immortal demon? This... Shomonkai group?"

"Maybe." Agil shrugged. "Amane-san looks like she can't speak much about anything, but maybe we can try talking with someone else who knows something, maybe the leader."

"But the question is, where are we going to find him?"

"Maybe we can ask one of he members. We could say we're interested in heir cause and would like to speak with their founder." Sinon offered.

"Would that really work, though?" Klein said skeptically, his hands at his hips. "I mean, we look like one heck of a bunch of misfits."

"Yeah..." Yuzu sighed. "That is true, isn't it? It's times like these I wish we had the Internet."

At the mention of this, Atsuro's eyes lit up, something clicking in his head. "Internet...?" he whispered. Kazuya looked at him with curiosity. Noticing his gaze, the tech geek looked back at him. "I might have an idea... but I'm going to have to do a few tests before I say anything."

"Like I said, I need to work out a few kinks." Atsuro said. "So, for now, let's see if anybody knows what we're looking for."

Kazuya frowned, obviously confused. He wasn't sure what Atsuro had in mind, but he trusted him with what he was doing, and gave a nod. The boy smiled. "Thanks, man." he said, grateful. "Alright, let's see if we can find Amane. She's probably our best bet... though knowing our luck, she probably won't say anything."

Sinon huffed. "Maybe that Anguished One knows something. You know, that conversation with him is still bugging me."

The others nodded, sharing her sentiments. The white haired figure was a complete enigma. Just who was he really? Or what was he?

There was so much that they didn't know. Who the man was, why he was here, what he was after... all that they really knew about him is that he didn't seem to be an enemy, and that he knew far more than what he was letting on. What really disturbed them was his affiliation with Kirito... just why did he seem to know him? And why refer to him as, "Arbiter?"

They had a lot of questions. And they expected good answers from him. They would definitely keep an eye out for him.

They would receive no answers standing around, however. They quickly made themselves scarce from the park, COMP's in hand.

Kazuya failed to notice the dark blue sparks dancing around his COMP, and the screen flickering red.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...here are the latest reports, Chief."

"Thank you, Sako."

Yamato Hotsuin thanked his aide as he grabbed the manilla folders. Said aide was a beautiful young woman in her mid twenties. Her dark blue hair was tied up in a ponytail and fell mid-back. She was dressed in a black blazer with yellow edging, yellow skirt, black leggings, and thigh-high white boots. Her blue eyes remained focused as she stood attentively. Her expression calm and serious.

He opened them and read through their contents. The information and data held within greatly intrigued him.

"So...Beldr is scheduled to appear today?"

"That is correct, Chief."

The man hummed, leaning back in his chair as he read through the document. "And there's already signs that the Bel of the Human World is beginning to awaken." he mused. "It appears that Naoya's plans are progressing faster than we anticipated. Now, it's only a question of what he intends to do once he's fully awakened."

At this point in time, Kazuya Minegeshi had few paths open to them, one of which being the path that his cousin, Naoya had intended for him. Humans have always possessed the power to change the way of things, and Kazuya Minegeshi was no exception. Being the Bel of the Human World, and thus, mankind's representative in this hectic war, he has since then been granted several opportunities... the real question is which one he would take. He was well aware of the Angel's plan for him, to establish him as the Messiah, and that in turn led into conflict with Naoya's goals of him becoming the Overlord, and rebelling against God.

"...it doesn't matter either way," Yamato eventually sighed, closing the folder and setting it on the desk beside him. "So long as he wins the war, I could care less."

As long as Kazuya wins the war, it would simply prove that he was one of the few people that are worthy to exist.

But the War of Bel is not the true Trial of Humanity. Even though demons are fighting amongst one another to claim the Throne, and the Angels intervening to wipe out the Demons, they are all nothing more than petty squabbles in comparison to what will eventually come.

The Trials set by a being of greater standing than God.

The Trials set by the Administrator.

"So, any new updates regarding the Lockdown?"

"None so far." Makoto shook her head. "Right now, we are only aware that Kazuya Minegeshi has demonstrated signs of awakening. It is likely that he will fully awaken when he has absorbed Beldr's power, provided he defeats him. Also, demonic activity has significantly increased, no doubt due to the failed contracts. At this rate, JP's may have to become involved, but Captain Fushimi and Izuna are doing everything they can to prevent the spread going past the encirclement. We have also confirmed that the Bel, Jezebel, is also within the Shomonkai Maiden, Amane Kuzuryu."

Yamato raised an eyebrow. "A Bel and an angel answering directly to the Lesser Tetragamaton?" he questioned with curiosity. "Interesting..."

So not only Remiel, but Jezebel is also housed with the girl. Depending on how things go, she may end up being an influential factor to Kazuya's path later on.

"There is more, Chief. Apparently, there have been sightings of a white haired young man wearing a red and black striped shirt that has the ability to float in mid air. He has also been seen with a demon holding a candelabra." Makoto added.

Instantly, Yamato's face curled into a scowl. This had not gone unnoticed by Makoto, as she frowned in concern for her superior, while the young man felt only irritation. 'So, you've gotten yourself involved in the War of Bel as well, have you?' he thought in utter disgust. 'I suppose that's just one of your many weaknesses, 'Anguished One.' Still...' A second later, he furrowed his brow immensely. 'What are you doing there?'

The Anguished One wasn't supposed to appear until after the war, when the Trials set by the Administrator have begun. It puzzled, yet intrigued Yamato. There was a factor in the War that the Anguished one took interest in. It was the only possible explanation. The question was: What?

"Sir?" Makoto voiced her concern.

"Sako, keep an eye on things in the Lockdown." Yamato ordered, his face becoming serious. "Also, monitor Kazuya Minegeshi's associates, and see if they have had any and all contact with this individual. It's imperative that we know if they've come into contact with him."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Bugeikan..."

The group paused as they passed by the familiar entrance to the large stadium. "Hm?" Asuna tilted her head. "Something up, Yuzu?"

The red-haired girl smiled somewhat. "Sorry," she apologized. "I was just thinking about how cool it would be if Haru ever got to play here."

"Yeah. It would be pretty cool. I could actually see it now." Klein agreed. The very thought of seeing their favorite singer truly appealed to them.

"Speaking of music," Keisuke looked at the stadium. "Is it just me, or do I hear noises coming from inside?"

"Maybe a concert prep?" Suguha offered. "I've heard that even in middle of crisis' people occupy their thoughts by going about daily routines."

"Hm, maybe."

Suddenly, Yui's eyes widened in shock, and her face serious. "Everyone, I'm detecting demons inside the stadium!" she shouted in alarm, alerting everyone. "And it's a large number of them!"

"What?!" Kirito scowled. "Ah, dammit! C'mon everyone!"

"Right!" The others nodded and followed Kirito into the stadium.

They charged straight in, moving through the corridors before they reached the interior.

"...Holy crap..." Was all Klein could say. The entire area was overrun with Demons.

And in the middle of it all... was Haru.

"Huh? Oh. Hey you guys." The red haired songstress waved as she noticed them. "What's up?"

"H-Haru?!" Yuzu cried in shock. "Are you okay?!"

The red-haired woman shrugged, glaring at the demons. "Well, take a look around ya," she said. "Take a guess."

"GIVE US THE SONG FOR OUR MASTER, WOMAN!" one of the demons roared.

"Oh zip it, ya oversized gourd."

Sinon raised an eyebrow. "Not very worried, is she?"

"Yeah." Philia nodded. "It's as if she isn't fazed by the Demons at all."

"We can talk about that later!" Suguha interjected. "We have to help her!"

"Yeah!" Kazuya nodded. "Come on, guys!" He whipped out his COMP, and flipped it open. "Let's go, Arsene!"

The Phantom Thief materialized and spread his wings. "Who shall we rend apart next?" He then took notice of Haru. "Ah. It's the songstress from before. I can she is in quite a peril."

"Gee, thanks Captain Obvious." Atsuro snarked as Garm took to his side. "Come on, we gotta save her!"

Kirito nodded strongly as the familiar black warrior stood beside him. "Alright, Hagen!" he called. "Let's cut them down!"

"I shall, my master!" The black samurai nodded in agreement.

The others summoned their demons as well. Haru whistled. "Helluva army," she commented as she looked around the stadium. "Well... here's hoping I make it out of this."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hahahaha... At last, we have it...!"

A random man shouted in victory as he clutched the item in hand. "With this...Master Belial will be pleased..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Keisuke gritted his teeth as his feet slid across the ground, narrowly avoiding a cold, icy death. "Damn..." he muttered, glaring at the white-furred and black-faced beast before him. "This demon is different from the others... It seems like each day will produce stronger demons." He scowled. "This will be tough...! Okay, Pyro Jack! Jack Frost! Let's go!"

"Right hee-ho!" Both Jacks nodded. Pyro jack flew above and shot fireballs from its lantern while Jack Frost shot out icicles.

The icicles did nothing to the Wendigo, but the flames had caused it to cry out in pain, stumbling back with its fur singed. Keisuke had followed up as lightning began to dance around him. "Elec Dance!" he cried out. Bolts of thunder lashed out from him, sparking wildly before reaching their mark. The force of the blast was enough to send the Wendigo off of its feet, and into the ground.

The next second, it found itself smashed further into the ground, courtesy of Spriggan.

"Die!" The ugly fairy roared.

The Wendigo growled once before it fell limp and silent. It dispersed into blue particles afterward.

Philia smirked. "One down!"

Kirito and Kazuya were charging straight through the crowd, trying to reach Haru through the mass of demons. "Dammit all!" the black-haired teen snarled. "Get out of our way! MOW DOWN!"

"Maragi!"

A Stream of flames erupted from Kazuya's palm, scorching a line of demons in its path.

Kirito's fist impacted the stomach of an Ogre, forcing the air out of its lungs. Hagen came up from behind and sliced it down the middle.

As the demons dispersed apart, they were met with another legion of demons, causing Kirito to scowl further. "How many of them are there?!"

"Approximately a dozen more, papa!" Yui replied as she dodged a bolt of lightning.

Agil scowled. "A dozen more, eh...? Well, fine! C'mon, Gozuki! Let's run 'em to the ground!"

"On it!" the bull-headed demon snarled as he brought down the axe, slicing a Garm in half.

"Zan!" Atsuro swung his arm. A gust of wind blew and sliced through the body of a Bilwis. He is Garm finished the job by clamping it with its jaws.

"Oberon, now!"

"Understood!" the fairy king aimed the tip of his saber at his enemies, lightning dancing around him. "Begone from my sight, you cur! Mazio!"

Suguha and Asuna stood side by side the Cait Sith pranced about the battlefield, cutting down anything that stood in the feline's way. The black-haired girl focused on healing the demon when it became threatened, and Asuna provided back up, freezing her opponents in their tracks. Meanwhile, Yuzu and Klein were busy trying to get close to Haru, in order to protect her from the thick horde.

"Rakshasa!"

"Pixie!"

The Swordsman and fairy zipped through the horde. Blades cleaving foes to shreds while bolts of lightning fried enemies from a distance. Yui, on her part, was keeping the demons back while Kama shot off arrow after arrow. The remaining enemies soon dropped like flies. There were still a few demons left behind, but they were quickly working their way to eliminating them. Arsene skewered a Lilim through the chest as he crushed her heart...literally.

"Forgive me," the gentleman thief said with a flaming grin. "But sadly, I only take the hearts of maidens."

He tossed the body aside as the Demon's body dispersed and returned to the Expanse.

"Haru!" Atsuro called out. "Get down!" The red-haired woman immediately ducked as Garm leaped over her, launching itself at the Wendigo that had tried to sneak up behind her.

The savage canine bit into the neck of the frozen beast. Fangs dug deep into its flesh, drawing blood and cutting through muscles and bones. Wendigo tried to pry it off, but Garm's sharp claws were stabbed deep into its chest. The humanoid demon's struggles slowed as more blood pooled beneath it. Eventually, it fell still.

The Garm leaped up, and allowed Atsuro to deal the final blow. "Zan!" the blast send it crashing into the wall, where it dispersed as it fell into the ground. "You okay, Haru?!"

"Yeah I'm fine. You guys really saved my ass back there." She scratched her head.

"Well, don't get too comfortable..." Agil said, coming from up from behind them. "We still got some bastards left." He looked back to the battlefield. "Oi, Kirito-kun! Are you almost done on your end?!"

As if to respond, Hagen sliced through the skull of a Bilwis while Kirito landed a multi-hit on a Gagyson.

"Still in the middle of something!" Kirito called out, jumping back to avoid a counter-attack from the purple creature as it unleashed several bolts at him. Kazuya scowled, noticing this. "Hold on, Kazuto!" he shouted, charging after him. "I'm coming!"

But before Kazuya could meet up with his friend, two avian demons barred his path. They seemed to be a mix of feline and bird, possessing a lion's head and eagle's body.

"Dammit all!" he growled. "Get the heck outta my way! MARAGI!"

Another stream of flames shot out of his hand, engulfing the two in a blaze. Arsene finished the job by severing their heads with his clawed hands.

Yui jumped away, as ice erupted from beneath her, trying to entrap her in a frozen coffin. She quickly retaliated, swinging her blade down. The flames tore apart the ice and the ground as it charged at the Wendigo, and burned it to ashes. However, she was left defenseless as from behind her, a duo consisting of a Gagyson and an Oberon took flight behind her, claw and saber outstretched.

Before the avian Demon could land a blow on her, however, Hagen cut it down. From where he was, Kirito's eyes lit up with rage. "You dare to attack my daughter?!" he roared. For a moment, the Black Swordsman had manifested in real life, as his eyes turned yellow. "I'll stain this stadium with your blood for that!"

His fists glowed brightly as he leaped forward and stabbed his hands into the fairy demon's body. One went into its chest through its heart, while the other dug its fingers into the Demon's eyes, clawing them out. It tried to raise its sword to defend itself, but it broke in two under the weight of Kirito's attack. In a swift motion, Kirito brought both of his arms down, cleaving the Oberon to pieces. Blood splattered onto the ground and his arms.

The group was left stunned by the action, especially the SAO group. The way he had acted just now... it was almost as if he were back in the game. However, to see it first hand in RL... it was terrifying.

Even though it was a Demon, Kirito had just killed without a shred of remorse. What was even more unsettling where his eyes. They were still yellow like before, and had become cold and callous. After blinking once, his eyes returned to their original color. But the frigidness remained.

"Damn..." Atsuro gawked. "Now I understand what they meant earlier when they mentioned how Kirito can get... That is fucking terrifying!"

Haru, however, whistled. "Damn," she said, obviously impressed. "Boy's got skills. Hate to get on his bad side."

Soon, Kirito's wrath faded. His expression remained stern, but his emotions were now reined in.

"Oi, Kirito!" Klein called out in worry. "You okay man?!"

"I'm fine." He responded curtly.

Klein was clearly unconvinced, as were the others, but they understood his rage. After all, the only thing that could match the wrath of a scorned woman was a protective father out for blood.

"Yui-chan," Shino called out as she ducked underneath a swing of a Ogre's arm, and delivered a hard heel kick to its jaw, knocking it off its feet. She finished it off with a blast of electricity. "How many are left?"

"Only six more!"

"Guys, heads up!" Yuzu called out, noticing the approaching appearance of the remaining demons. "These ones mean business!"

She spoke the truth. The remaining demons were unlike any they have encountered before. One was a pale woman in a white kimono with a frigid air around her. Another was a small, bipedal lizard with golden scales and large eyes. Another was a amorphous mass of flames with a human head. The fourth was a female, humanoid cat with white fur dressed only in a orange top. The fifth was a small, dog-like beast with gold and green fur. The final one was a blue-skinned deity with six arms, three faces, and clad in red armor pieces. A single edged sword was present in each hand.

"What the hell..." Agil frowned. "Those guys... don't look nice."

"The one with the blades is Mahakala of the Deity Race." Yui informed. "They're talented in terms of magic. Basilik can use petrification abilities, so be careful! One hit, and you'll be down!"

"And what about the others?"

"The flaming demon is an Elemental Demon, Flaemis. They're very talented in terms of fire magic. Bai Shuzen is a Dragon demon, and can attack from a distance. She also uses ice attacks. The Beasts, Nekomata and Shiisa, are both specialized in lightning magic!"

"So we need to pair up with the advantage." Kazuya mused as he read over everyone' stats. Keisuke's Pyro Jack would be good against Flaemis as it would render its attacks useless. Same could be said for Jack Frost and Bai Shuzen. However, the other four will be a bit tricky. The Basilisk may be small, but it also seems pretty agile. They would need their fast attackers to fight it. For the Beasts, a Demon with a Lightning Nullification or Absorption trait would be best. But for Mahakala...That is the real challenge...

"Oi, Kazuya..." Kirito said, walking beside him. "You think we can take that Mahakala?"

"Maybe." he replied. "Arsene is pretty resistant to fire and electricity, but he can't be anywhere near that basilisk, or Bai Shuzen. Ice and Alignments don't end well for him."

"Then what about Jackfrost?" Keisuke offered in turn. "He can absorb ice attacks, making him a good demon to use."

"What about Shiisai and Nekomata?" Atsuro asked. "Both it and that Flaemis don't look so strong, so maybe we can hit 'em both?"

"In that case, leave 'em to me and Leafa." Asuna said. "Oberon and Cait Sith should be able to deal with them."

"Alright." So they had their plan of attack. It's time to put it into action!

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, in Roppongi, specifically at the Hills Building, Amane stood alone in a singular room, which was quite vast, littered with various devices and machinery. One might even say this room exists for the purpose of machinery, for this room held a very specific purpose. All around her, tubes and wires, both of which glowing green, were scattered about, and around various spots in the room were several consoles with lit screens. Normally, many Shomonkai members, including Azuma and her father, would be present, but there were other matters to attend to. After all, today, a Bel was to surface...

And if she was correct, another would soon be born into this world. A Bel that would save this world, if given the proper guidance. The reason for this was because this Bel was special, born not as a demon, but as a human. A representative of the human race in this war between demons and angels. A factor that could change everything, depending on the course of his actions. Even now, with her past interactions, she could see the sparks of potential within him. All he needed was a proper course, a path to follow.

After a long period of silence, Amane felt a presence approaching from behind her, entering the room with a steady rythm. "...I see you accepted my invitation." she said calmly, turning to face her guest. "I did not expect you to come here, given what you told me a few days ago."

Naoya smirked at her, face etched into cold marble as always. "Well, given it was you, and not Azuma or the Founder, who sent me that message, I was quite curious." he confessed. "So, tell me... What brought this about? If you've come to ask me to aid you, my answer is still the same. As I told you before, Amane Kuzuryu, God is no friend of mine."

She closed her eyes. "I am aware of that," she replied calmly. "However, that is not the reason why I called you here." Naoya raised an eyebrow, curious about her reasons. "That boy... Kazuya Minegeshi... He is your cousin, is he not?"

"He is. What of it?"

"Then... you are aware that he is the Bel of the Human World, correct?"

The silver haired man's eyes widened slightly. Just how did she know of that? He never divulged that information to anyone...well...no one human. He looked at her with a mild glare. She knew a little too much for her own good. But then again...that must be the result of having two polar opposite beings within her.

Either way, regardless, it seemed she was aware, and he knew there was little point dodging the issue. "I am aware of that." he answered, keeping his tone even. He wouldn't give her, nor the beings within her, any sort of satisfaction. "And... why should that matter?"

Amane opened her eyes again, looking at his red orbs, calmly and unfaltering. "If you are aware of that... then it appears both mine and Remiel's suspicions are confirmed." She gave him an impassive gaze. "You... are Cain."

His lips curled into a dark smile. "The one and only Sinner, made by God himself." he said sarcastically, shrugging his shoulders. "Then again, what is in a name? Cain, Naoya, all are just titles and labels one slaps on another. Personally, I couldn't really care which name I go by. I've gone by many names, all of which insignificant."

"Then answer me this, Naoya... What is your intention?"

"My intention?"

Amane nodded. "You granted us the knowledge needed to establish the COMPs, as well as the Demon Summoning Program." she recounted his accomplishments. "Without you, the human race would not have been granted this opportunity to withstand both this war, and this trial. So, to that end, I ask of you, Cain-" She paused, shaking her head. "No... Naoya Minegeshi. What is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish with all of this?"

Naoya smiled thinly. "My... intention?" he asked back. His bangs overshadowed his eyes, but his smile grew wider... and crueler. "...Heh. What a foolish question to ask, especially when you have an angel within you to give you the answer." He brought up his head to reveal his eyes, cold and murderous, harboring nothing but cold resentment and merciless hatred that surpassed even hellfire. "I want Kazuya to win the War. I want him to become the King of Bel... and rebel against God for everything he's done."

At this, the Angel within Amane began to stir. Rebel...? Against God...? Utter blasphemy!

"...You do realize your course of actions will bring the entirety of Heaven's Judgment to fall upon you, correct?" Amane questioned, as if trying to reason with him.

"Hmph. Judgment? I've already experienced hell a long time ago...when that poor excuse of a God made me kill my brother just to use me as a damn example for humanity in his blasted tales of idiocy!" Naoya snapped angrily. "I offered him my finest crops...and rejected them while he accepted Abel's lamb! He didn't care about our sacrifice...all he wanted was blood! It didn't matter if it was human or animal...he just wanted blood! I was a hopeless fool back then...so blinded by a faith of deceit that I had to commit the one deed I would forever regret...All because of Him!"

Naoya's fists clenched, threatening to draw blood. "I want nothing more than to see his corpse at my feet..." he seethed with utter rage. "At Kazuya's feet. That is why..." Slowly, his smile returned, regaining his composure. "I will see to it that he becomes the King of Bel... a being that surpasses even the Great Darkness. The one who kill the so-called Holy Father."

Amane's face hardened slightly. "You would use your own brother as a tool for your own selfish gain?"

"No... Kazuya is no tool." he corrected her. "I am the one who simply act as his guide through the darkness... The one who help him ascend to the throne. No more, no less." He stared back at her. "And what of you, Priestess? What do you intend to do? After all, the appearance of a Human Bel is unprecedented. With such a factor, I'm sure both Jezebel and Remiel cannot possibly ignore him, and neither can the government. Already, I'm sure the head of the Hotsuin Clan is already aware of him, and by extension, his role."

Amane was quiet at first. What Naoya said was true; such a factor could not go ignored. As things stood, Kazuya Minegeshi, the Bel of the Human World, could not be allowed to run free, nor could he flounder around like fish out of water. The power he wielded... it needed to be honed properly. It needed to be put to proper use. The way things were, humans would forever remain helpless, out of reach and left as mere helpless victims in the war between god and evil. It ached both her heart and Remiel's to see this occur, while Jezebel was only amused by the mindless slaughter. Kazuya... he could change all of that, be it for better or for worse.

In her opinion... in her hopes, he would change things for the better.

"...you are correct of that," she finally answered. "Kazuya Minegeshi, as a Bel, cannot be left alone. He is an unknown variable. And, as you said, he is perhaps a victim of God's intentions and schemes." She looked back at him, seeing a faint trace of satisfaction, as if he had won something. "However, be that as it may, he is still a child of God... the one who has the power to change the world, and all of those in it. Just as you believe he can rise and become the King of Demons, I believe he can be the one to guide this world out of the darkness, and into a brighter future... a Messiah."

The instant those words fell from her lips, Naoya's face morphed into utter fury, held in the guise of a quiet, if imposing glare. "In other words..." he said slowly, each word laced venomously. "You want to make him into a tool for your God."

"The King of Bel, one who rules over demons, bending to the Lord..." Amane continued, unperturbed by his words. "Surely, even you can see the good of what can come of it."

"No." he rebuked, scoffing. "I cannot. All I see that can come of that is Kazuya becoming a foolish tool, a mere plaything for God to toy with as he so pleases." His eyes grew cold and icy. "And I... will not allow that to happen."

Amane sighed. It appeared that reasoning with him was... out of the question. "It appears that we are at an impasse then."

"Indeed we are." Naoya replied. "In the end...this meeting was nothing more than a waste of time." He turned around to leave. "...But I will say this...If you dare poison my brother's mind with those lies of a Messiah...molding him into a tool for God..." He turned his head so a single eye glared at her. An eye filled with absolute hatred and rage. It took all of Amane's composure not to flinch or tremble at the deadly gaze. "I will not hesitate to end your worthless existence, Maiden. I will make you suffer in ways unimaginable..."

With that final note, he left.

'...well,' a female voice echoed in her mind in bemusement. 'That went grandly well. He's just as cold and ruthless as I remember~'

'Be silent, Jezebel,' a masculine voice, baritone and stern, reprimanded. 'Before I make you.'

'Oh, you're such a killjoy, Remiel.'

Amane sighed, ignoring the mental bickering between entities. The meeting had not gone as she intended, but at the very least, she learned a few things... the most important being that Naoya Minegeshi cared deeply for Kazuya.

Even to this day...even after living through countless lives and remembering so much history...Cain still cherished his younger brother, Abel.

It was also through this bond that Naoya is doing everything he can to ensure Kazuya succeeds in claiming the Throne.

That was something they could at least agree on. Kazuya MUST be the one to ascend to the Throne of Bel. Under no circumstance could they allow a demon to take the Throne. No, it had to be Kazuya... the only real question was what path would the boy take.

The Path of a Demon King. The Path of a Messiah. Two roads open to him, each the polar opposite of the other.

If he were to be Demon King, then all demons will be united under his banner. And with Naoya's Guidance, lead an army to bring down God.

However, if he became the Messiah...

Demons would no longer be shunned in the dark. Perhaps, if the King set an example for them, they too would embrace the light, and this futile struggle would at long last reach an end. God would at last have the one who would end this war, which has lasted for eons.

Even still, she could not force him upon this path. Kazuya Minegeshi must decide what path to choose upon his own free will, and by his own volition.

If he was indeed forced upon this path, than there would be no purpose for it. It would simply be a being with empty resolve.

"If the Throne is to be obtained, it must be one strength of will, and by one's own decision." Amane told herself. "I... am simply a guide for a path he will walk, just as Naoya is." She looked up at the ceiling. "I wonder... what path will you walk, Kazuya Minegeshi?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Mahakala is relied upon in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and is depicted in a number of variations, each with distinctly different qualities and aspects. He is also regarded as the emanation of different beings in different cases, though he is best known as a wrathful manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. He is a Dharmapala (Dharma Protector) and one of the eight main Dharmapalas, alongside Yama, Yamantaka, Hayagriva, Vaisravana, Palden Lhamo, Tshangspa Dkarpo, and Begtse.

The most notable variation in Mahakala's manifestations and depictions is in the number of arms, but other details can vary as well. For instance, in some cases there are Mahakalas in white, with multiple heads, without genitals, standing on varying numbers of various things, holding various implements, with alternative adornments, and so on.

In Hinduism, Mahakala is a name of Shiva (Great Time), but is also the name of one of Shiva's principal attendants, or ganas. He is also one of Shiva's watchmen, along with Nandi.

In Japan he is called Daikokuten and is one of the Seven Lucky Gods. In this incarnation, he is surprisingly less violent and is more benevolent towards humans. He is also associated with the Shinto god Okuninushi and Dakiniten is also associated with him.

However... if there was at least one description that fitted him right now, it would be a walking monstrosity.

"...pathetic." the multi-armed deity said coldly, his blades curved all around him, as he intercepted attacks from both Hagen and Arsene, both acting in unison. "Is this all you can do?"

With a strong push, Mahakala forced the two demons away. Arsene slowed mid-air while Hagen skidded across the ground.

"My, my...this will be tougher than I thought." The Great Thief mused.

The black warrior was inclined to agree. While being a lesser demon in terms of the Deity Race, he was hardly a pushover. In fact, he was perhaps one of the most terrifying you could meet other than the Bels themselves. Defeating him would be no easy feat, especially when he brings down the flames, as Maragi was his specialty, and being a Deity only enhanced that power.

"So, got any ideas?" Arsene asked. "After all, trying to get past that pesky defense of his will be no cake-walk."

Hagen took a moment to think. His eyes were trained on the enemy, trying to find a chink in its armor.

"...encircle and entrap." the Hero finally decided. "Strike from all sides."

"Then I guess we gotta go all out on this!" Kirito nodded. Kazuya agreed. The two demons shot ahead, moving to encircle the Deity while the tamers brought up the rear.

Asuna and Suguha, alongside their respective demons, were currently combating the duo of Shiisa and Nekomata.

Oberon wavered his saber, cutting through the lightning. Cait Sith let out a roaring mewl, and swung his scimitar, creating a blast of wind.

The Shiisa was thrown back by the blast, but the Nekomata jumped in and swung her claws.

Oberon intercepted, defending against it before the strike reached the cat warrior. "Oberon!" Suguha called out. "Take 'em down!"

"Understood!"

The Fairy King broke the stalemate and followed with a Cleave attack.

In the next second, the demon was sent flying, skidding through the ground before impacting on the wall. However, Oberon was left completely open, as the Bai Shuzhen smiled coldly, a flurry of frigid wind dancing around her, intend on releasing it against her target. "Jack Frost!" Keisuke called out. The instant the snow woman released her storm, creating stags of ice in her wake, Jack Frost jumped in front of the attack, and his mouth went wide open.

The miniature blizzard grew smaller and was sucked into the tiny snowman's mouth. After the end of consumption, Jack Frost let out a little burp.

"Phew!" Jack Frost let out an audible 'burp,' its eyes forming into curved slits. "Thanks for the meal, Hee-ho!"

"Pyro Jack!"

"Burn up HO!" the pumpkin-headed demon bellowed, bringing his lantern. Emerging forth from it was an intense, searing flame that shot forward. Bai Shuhzen created a small storm around her, as if trying to defend herself, but the flames exploded right in front of her, sending her skidding to the ground.

The female demon pulled herself up and snarled at the Jack duo. Frigid air gathered in her palms as she swung her hands, shooting off several icicles that flew like javelins.

The snowman easily punched them incoming icicles away, destroying them with ease before gobbling up the remains. Sadly, Pyro Jack was forced to maneuver around them, dodging frantically, lest he be impaled and frozen solid. He did not fancy being turned into an ice box. As one icicle breezed past him, another was launched, this one striking at his coat, and pinning him to a nearby wall. "Ho that was close!" the Jack exclaimed. "Least it didn't hee my head!"

"Annoying pests!" The Bai Shuzen sneered. She waved her arms again and balls of frost manifested before flinging themselves at Pyro Jack.

Pyro Jack's eyes(?) immediately went wide with horror, and started to fling his arms about. "OH HEE CRAP!" he shrieked, struggling to free himself. Thankfully, Jack Frost came to the rescue, leaping up and opening his mouth wide. The icy balls were immediately consumed. The snowman let out an audible gulp, left hanging in the air for a few seconds, before its black oval eyes turned into a pair of angry ones.

"Nobody gets away with hurting my bro, Hee-ho!" he seethed. "I'm gonna bash Ho into next Hee!"

"Hmph. I'd like to see you try you insipid snowman!" Bai Shuzen scoffed.

"Leave my bro alone, Hee-Ho!" Pyro Jack flew in, his lantern glowing violently as a torrent of flames shot out.

The dragon scowled, and jumped back. "Was that supposed to be a-" Her snarky remark was cut off when Jack Frost charged forward, and reared his arm back, ramming it straight into her jaw.

"Guh!" The female demon felt her jaw crack from the impact. The round snowman rolled upon landing and hopped up to its feet.

"Now, Ho!" Frost replied to his brother. Pyro nodded and let loose another stream of flames, this time completely engulfing the dazed demoness.

Bai Shuzen let out a loud cry as her body was reduced to mere ashes. Once the flames, and her remains, were blown away, the two Jack brothers grinned, giving each other a high five. Keisuke sighed in relief, a hand on his chest before his concerns went over to Atsuro and Klein, as they combated the fiery demon known as Flaemis.

"Garm, lock him down!" Atsuro shouted orders. "Try to slow him!"

"Rakshasa, help him out!" the virtual Samurai warrior growled. "Don't let this guy get too close!"

"Right!" The Jaki nodded while Garm barked in agreement. The blazing elemental flickered as embers roared. The hell hound ran up and jumped to sink its teeth into it.

However, its fangs merely phased through the flames as it slipped out of its maw, its face forming into a twisted leer. "Death Blow!" Rakshasa roared, swinging his blades forward as a bloody red hue danced around his scimitars. Unlike Garm, the attack actually dealt a blow, as the flaming being was knocked back slightly, its flames wavering.

"Guh! Damn you...!" The flames whispered venomously. The two demons rushed in once more. The Jaki had his swords brandished while Garm had its fangs bared.

In the next second, they were upon it.

The swordsman sliced through the formless body with his blades as Garm moved in for a Bash attack. The blades sliced apart its arms, and the Garm, rather than aim for any part of its body, went straight for its head, jaw agape.

Unlike the rest of its body, the head of the elemental was more tangible. The spherical mass of flame was clamped between maws of razor sharp teeth and the flames thrashed about.

"LET GO!" Flaemis bellowed, trying to throw the creature off of it. When that failed, he simply allowed the flames that were his tangible body to flow into its mouth. Sadly, this had no effect either, as Garm held a natural resistance to the flames. While smoke and steam flew between its fangs, the bloody-red creature only amplified the tension on its jaws, and pressed further down.

While the beast had the elemental pinned, Rakshasa stepped up, raised both of his swords, and slashed into Flaemis' body.

The blazing demon let out a pained cry before its flames flickered and died out.

Klein and Atsuro sighed in relief. "That's two down..." the techno-geek said in relief. "But, wait, what about-"

He was cut off when the familiar form of Arsene was sent flying past him, and crashed straight into the wall.

As the dust settled, the Wing Demon was revealed to have crashed through it. He pulled himself up and shook his head, as if trying to reorient himself. "This..." He looked up to glare at Mahakala, who is currently busy repeatedly slashing Hagen with his six swords. "...is going to be more difficult than expected." Arsene spread his wings and jumped back into the brawl.

Meanwhile, Caith Sith and Oberon were still dealing with the Nekomata and Shiisai, both of which refused to stay dead.

"Damn! These foes are resilient..." Oberon cursed. He was using his sword as a means of support.

"Meow annoying..." Cait Sith scoffed.

The small dog demon growled as lightning began to dance around it, as had the Nekomata. The fairy king brandished his saber once more as thunder gathered around his sword, while the Caith Sith simply slid itself into a stance.

"Shall we?" Oberon inquired, smiling.

Caith Sith hissed a grin. "Let's!"

The two sword wielding demons advanced and clashed with the beast demons. Oberon stabbed his saber forward, meeting with the claws of the Shiisa. The two feline demons were engaged in locked combat. Although the Nekomata was also acting flirtatious to her opponent.

"Nice sword, nya~" she purred as her lightning clashed with the scimitar. "Do you act so purrcious with every feline you meet, nya?"

"Only ones like you, m'lady..." Cait Sith replied with a smirk of his own.

The Nekomata giggled before they backpedaled, and clashed again. Asuna felt a tick mark over her head. "Cait Sith!" she snapped. "Quit flirting with it!"

"Nya~ Your master sounds like she's sexually frustrated!"

Her face burned red. "I AM NOT!"

Suguha sweat-dropped alongside Oberon as he quickly moved to the left, avoiding being struck by the small dog demon. "...somehow, this has gotten to be tedious."

They know they were demons but...are they ALL this strange?

Haru, on the other hand, merely giggled at the sight. Really, who knew demons could be so carefree, even when fighting? Well, then again they were DEMONS, after all, so they must have little to no sanity.

Meanwhile, Kirito and Kazuya, alongside their respective demons, continued to battle Mahakala. The two humans stood on either side, one with a glowing red aura around his hand, the other with flames dancing in the palm. Arsene was above, flames also dancing in his hands while Hagen stood on the ground, blade in sheathe, awaiting to be drawn. The multi-armed deity didn't look even remotely impressed, though he did respect their earnest nature in defying him.

Not that it would matter. He drew all of his arms forward, blades at the ready, awaiting the attack.

"Okay! Swarm him!" Kazuya cried out. "Agilao!" Bursts of flames shot out of the teen's and Arsene's hands from different directions.

"Mow Down!"

"Cleave."

Both Hagen and Kirito charged with their respective attacks.

Mahakala scoffed.

"...weak!"

Raising only four of his swords, the Deity cut through the approaching flames, intercepted Hagen's sword, and landed a heavy blow on Kirito. It was thanks to the Harmonizer that he was spared from a lethal hit. But even then, a shallow cut appeared on his arm.

"Krgh!"

"Kazuto!" Kazuya shouted before Mahakala repelled the attacks, creating a shockwave that sent them and their demons flying into the air. "Waaaah!"

The winged thief flew until he smacked against a random pillar. Hagen was thrown back and crashed through a wall. Kazuya skidded and rolled across the concrete floor until he landed on his back. His skin was covered in small cuts and bruises.

"...Pathetic..." The deity frowned. "...Is this what humans are truly capable of?"

The blue-haired teen scowled, glaring back at the demon in contempt. 'Dammit all!' he cursed himself. 'At this rate, we can forget about Beldr! Mahakala is going to be the one to kill us all, including Haru!' The feeling of helplessness filled his chest, and with it, disgust. He didn't want to feel this way... he couldn't let his friends down! He couldn't! He couldn't let them die here!

Power... He needed... 'I need... more power...!'

Suddenly, the COMP developed several cracks of black and red electricity. A dark aura began to surround him, and his eyes changed from blue to deep red. The sudden change had not gone unnoticed by the others, as Atsuro recognized it immediately, eyes widening. "Wait... This is...!"

Keisuke, who was new to this, suddenly began to backtrack, beads of sweat pouring down his face. "Wh-what... is this...?"

Mahakala, however, merely raised an eyebrow when he saw the change overcome the human. "And do you think this changes anything?" the demon snorted. "Just what could you possibly-?"

He was cut off when Kazuya, in the blink of an eye, appeared right in front of him, his arm reared back, and a hand clenched into a fist.

"What?!"

Kazuya gave a cold, dark glare.

"...fly away!"

He threw his arm forward, and his fist collided with its face.

The blue skinned deity gave only a cry of pain as he shot through the air and broke through a pillar that was in its path. Clouds of dust rose from the rubble. Even the remaining demons that were fighting stopped and stared at what just transpired. Slowly, but surely, Mahakala pulled himself up on his feet. Two of his arms moved to brush the dirt from his shoulders. Sheathing one of his swords, he lifted a hand up to his face and touched where the blow landed. To the demon's shock, he felt a bruise on his face. Although it was small, it was still there. His eyes became trained on the blue haired boy. His body was surging with a myriad of emotions. Anger. Frustration. But most of all...excitement.

This...This human...actually hurt him?

Kazuya's expression remained passive, yet fierce. His hands were clenched tightly into fists, the joints in his hands popping.

His friends could only stare at him in alarm. It was happening again. Just like back in the Cemetery.

Sinon frowned. "That look in his eyes..." she muttered quietly as she and Kotone dodged the attacks made by their opponent, the Basilisk. True to its form, it was fast and agile, and particularly dangerous, as on more than one occasion had it nearly petrified them just by giving them an intense glare. "...it's not human."

"Th...they remind me of the eyes we see in demons..." Philia admitted. She still couldn't believe that this was Akuma.

Kazuya, for his part, didn't seem to notice the change at all. He was completely focused on Mahakala, who began to stalk toward him with blades at the ready. "It appears your more than you are letting on..." the deity said as a blue aura began to surround him. "What say you... to THIS?!"

Yui's eyes widened in horror. "Akuma-san, move! He's about to-!"

Too late. The demon unleashed his attack, and everything in front of him was being engulfed into a field of ice. Kazuya merely glared at the sight, left unmoving as the encroaching ice approached him, spikes spraying out as it charged. Kirito became panicked, noticing that his friend wasn't moving. "KAZUYA!"

Arsene, who watched the event transpire, merely let out a flaming grin. "...well."

The blue haired teen stood calmly as he silently raised a hand. A fierce Crimson flame cloaked his hand. He waved his arm, intercepting the ice with a blazing arc.

The ice was blown apart; shattered while the flames were blown apart with it, as if two opposing forces were negated. Vapor quickly rose from the collision as a result of polar opposite forces clashing.

When the steam billowed and settled, both elements had erased the other.

"...not bad," Mahakala growled, his smirk turning feral. "This power... It feels familiar, and now I know why."

Kazuya made no response. Instead, he brought up his hand, and a burning red flame danced in the palm of his hand.

"To think that the Bel of the Human World stands before me..." the Deity chuckled. "Fate is on my side."

This caused the hearts of everyone, save Keisuke, to stop. Bel...of the human world? Kazuya?!

The blue haired teen merely looked on passively.

Kirito could only gawk at his friend.

He...he was a representative in this Bel war or something?!

"How fortunate..." Mahakala chuckled. "This...will be most excellent!"

Kazuya crushed the flames in his hand. For a moment, Kirito thought he saw his eyes develop a burning red slit. "...just shut up."

The Human Bel slammed his fist to the ground, cracking the earth beneath. The scorching flames from his hands filled the cracks and seemed to rain forward to the Deity.

In response, Mahakala jumped back, and swung his blades, creating icicles that shot forward with the intent of impaling him. Kazuya evaded them, and shot forward, a red streak following behind him.

The Deity could barely react before Kazuyas fist came in close to his face!

The multi-armed demon brought up it's blades, in an attempt to defend against the blow.

But when the attack struck, Mahakala felt the earth-breaking force of the blow. His swords were strained just to hold up against it.

The force of the blow sent him skidding back, eventually reaching to a halt. However, as soon as he regained his balance, he was once again set upon by Kazuya. The boy was now in the air, red flames burning in his hand.

"...burn out!"

He thrust his palm outward. A massive stream of flames shot out of his hand. The crimson torrent flew through the air quickly before engulfing the blue-skinned Deity.

The flames encroached everything around the intended target. It had even reached Shino and Kotone's battleground, forcing them and their demons to retreat as the Basilik was burned apart in seconds. The flames burned darkly, providing an almost unearthly light. The group, for the most part, looked vastly disturbed by this, and looked on as Kazuya hit the ground, landing on his feet with ease. The dark aura around him continued to dance around him, and the red light within his eyes had not yet faded.

However, Kirito had noticed a change in him made present on his face.

A smile.

A cold, dark, demonic grin that made him shudder.

"K-Ka...zuya...?"

As the flames began to part, it revealed Mahakala, his blue skin now darkened, almost black, with several cracks along his body. Two of his six arms had fallen off, and half of his face was burned beyond recognition. One of his swords was shattered, and his body looked to be on its last legs... yet in spite of that, Mahakala sported the same maniac grin as Kazuya.

"Magnificent..." he breathed out, eyes wide with excitement. "Absolutely magnificent!" He brandished what was left of his blades as a blue aura danced around him. "I have not felt this enlightened in AGES!" The Deity let out a small chuckle. Then it grew into laughter. Until it became a full blown cackle of madness and excitement.

The laughter disturbed the group, Yuzu in particular. All she could was stare at Kazuya with fright. 'Kazuya...' she thought in sadness and worry. 'Just what's happening to you?!'

The teen in question only widened his grin as he clenched his fists tightly, the red flames coiling around them.

In the next second, they charged at one another.

Mahakala poised his remaining swords forward to run the teen through while Kazuya's arms were blanketed by the Crimson flames.

Yuzu's eyes widened further in horror and dread as the two drew closer.

"KAZUYA!"

The teen blinked. The dark aura around him dispersed. Mahakala grinned.

"I WON-!"

In the moment he thrust his blades forward, Kazuya moved his body at an angle, letting the blades pierce through the air all around him. Some of them managed to graze his flesh, causing some discomfort, but with all of his weapons gone, the deity was left open. The demon realized this too late, as he reared his arm back, and rammed his hand right into his face.

"Incinerate!"

Before the Deity could cry in response, a massive stream of blood red flames burst from Kazuya's hand, completely engulfing Mahakala.

The screams of pain from the deity were muffled by Akuma's hand, the teen refusing to let go. Against the Crimson glow from the flames, his own calm expression looked completely demonic. As the wails and screams reached their crescendo, Kazuya swiftly crushed his hand. His fingers dug into the Deity's face as flesh and bone were crushed beneath his grip.

The flames flowed into Mahakala, ripping and incinerating everything inside of him. When he pulled away, he leaped back as the flames imploded.

What followed was an explosion of naught but dark red flames.

The others ducked and covered their heads to shield themselves from the blast. A draft of extremely hot air and smoke blew past them all. Some weren't so lucky, as the wave of hellfire had reached the demons that group fought before. The Shiisa and Nekomata were reduced to ash.

'Khe...!' Kirito hissed, feeling the intensity of the flames from where he was. 'Damn, this heat is intense...!' But he was more worried about Kazuya. Just what is happening to him?!

The blue-haired boy in question stood idly by, simply looking at the flames that burned before him. His eyes had lost their previous red color, and the aura that once cloaked his body was nowhere to be found. Arsene had been called back, as had Hagen, who needed to recover from his wounds in battle. As for the others, they had also called back their demons, seeing that the battle was over.

"Kazuya?" he called out weakly to his friend. "Kazuya, you okay?" He received no reply. "H-hey, Kazu-"

Suddenly, Akuma fell forward.

"KAZUYA!" Everyone moved over to their collapsed friend. Kirito pulled himself up and followed. Agil knelt beside the motionless teen and took his pulse.

"...we got a pulse. He's still alive, only unconscious."

The group let out a sigh. The burly man gently pulled Kazuya up, propping him against the wall. "Damn," Haru whistled as she approached the group with Sinon and Philia. "Never thought the kid was vicious. He can be pretty damn scary when he wants to be, I take it?"

"W-well..." Yuzu stammered dejectedly. "This is the second time it's happened..." She shook her head fiercely, looking back to her friend with heavy worry. "I don't understand... what WAS that?! Why did Kazuya...?"

Atsuro frowned deeply. "That thing called him the 'Bel of the Human World'..." he recalled. "But, what the hell does that mean?"

"Who can say?" Agil sighed. "Either way, I think it's best if we keep an eye on him whenever he gets like this, otherwise..."

"Yeah..." Atsuro nodded in agreement, completely worried for his best friend. "We don't even know what's happening to him..."

XXXXXXXXXX

'...this presence... this feeling...'

'Kehehehehe... 'twould appear that the human Bel is slowly coming to himself... it's about time...'

'Kukukuku... how many years has it been since he set foot into this war?'

'Far too long... far too long...'

'At any rate, it makes this war all the more interesting, would you all not agree?'

'Perhaps... but will his host be strong enough to withstand us? After all... Beldr is his first trial.'

'If he is not up to the task... I shall take his power for mine own... afterwards, the mortal realm will be mine to roam once more...'

'Che, still hung up on that, aren't ye? Kehehehehehe!'

'...enough, Belzaboul.'

'Whatever you say, Belberith...'

'Kukuku... I can scarcely wait to see his growth. Aaaaaah~ I want to see that beautiful face of despair again... those hellish flames that scorned God and his darling brother~'

'As obsessed with Abel as always... no matter...'

'It matters not who succeeds in this war... for once we have all united together once more...'

'Yes... regardless of who stands victorious...'

'The war shall begin...'

**'And Bel will be whole once more...'**

XXXXXXXXXX

"So...how's he doing?" Yuzu asked in concern. The group moved out of the newly vacated concert hall into a shaded area to get Kazuya out of the heat.

"He's still out of it, but he'll be fine." Sinon answered after she and Agil did a once over. "He must be exhausted after that fight with Mahakala, or whatever it was." A frown settled on her face a second later. "Although... What were those flames? They looked a lot stronger than that Maragidyne Spell stuff he was slinging back the other day."

"That is true..." Yui nodded, a frown settled across her face. "I didn't recognize it at all. It's possible it's a unique power only to Akuma-san."

"Unique..." Kesiuke murmured, obviously troubled. "Does this have anything to do with him being a... Bel of the Human World? Actually, while on the subject, just what is this Bel thing anyway?"

"That's right. You weren't with us when we learned about this..." Atsuro realized.

"Learn what?" Keisuke was now curious. Just what were they told?

"Well...Yesterday...we learned that this Lockdown is the battleground for Demons named Bel in a war to become the King of Demons..." Klein responded.

"...I'm sorry, what?" Now Keisuke understood less.

"Basically," Agil gave him a simpler version. "The Yamanote Circle has become a giant Battle Royal for Demons with the name of Bel. The winner of that war becomes the new King of Demons, if what we know so far is right. The government started this lockdown to prevent the war from spreading any further."

"Wha-Seriously?!" Keisuke gaped. So the government knew about the Demons...and is keeping everyone locked in here to minimize damages?! Are they even trying to get the innocent people out of here?! Are they just going to let them all die?!

Haru, who was listening intently, let out an 'aah' of acknowledgement. "I think I get it now..." she said before looking at Kazuya. "So, what about him? That thing called him the 'Bel of the Human World.' So, this mean he's our rep in this war or something?"

"Well, based on what that Demon said...I guess so..." Kirito nodded grimly. The mere thought of it disturbed him. His friend was really part of a war to decide the next King of Demons? It's just crazy!

Philia frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head deeply in thought. "Why Akuma?" she questioned. "Why him of all people? Moreover, how is he a Bel?"

"Hmm..." Agil pondered the same, furrowing his brow. "Maybe... it's got something to do with the story of Cain and Abel?" he offered, earning a look of confusion. "From what you've guys been telling me, Kazuya's been getting a few headaches every now and then whenever Naoya, or when a parallel to Cain is mentioned, yeah? Well, if we go under the assumption that Cain really is Naoya... then what if Kazuya was Abel?"

"How would that work though?" Asuna questioned. "I mean, Abel was human, right?"

"Yeah. If he was born human...how could he be part of the War now?" Yuzu inquired.

"Well...it may be a long shot but...what if Abel went to Hell and was reborn as a Demon?" Suguha offered.

Haru raised an eyebrow. "Wait, hold up... What the heck are you guys talking about?"

"Well, you see-"

They were interrupted by the sound of loud groans. The group turned to see the blue-haired teen slowly coming awake, eyes blinking rapidly in a drowsy state. "Mnrgh..."

He pressed a hand against his throbbing head. It felt like something was hitting the inside of his skull.

"Kazuya!" His friends cried in relief.

"Oh, thank god...!" Yuzu sighed in relief, close to being on the verge of tears. "We thought you were..."

"How are you doing, Kazuya?" Keisuke asked worriedly. "Any injuries?"

"I...I don't think so...just a huge migraine..." He groaned as he tried to sit up.

Suguha roped one of his arms around her shoulder, helping him get steady on his feet. "Well, I'll say this at least." Haru said with a sly grin. "You're packing a lot of heat... in more ways than one. I guess this makes it the second time you guys saved my ass." True to her words, her Death Clock had increased.

Instead of 0, it was 1.

'One day?!' he thought in dismay. 'Why?!'

Even after everything they did...Haru was still going to die tomorrow?!

Just why is this all even happening?!

"I'm glad you're alright, Haru-san!" Klein said in relief, grinning before his face became grim and serious. "But... why didn't you try and escape? I mean, there were demons all over the place!"

"That's a rather... touchy subject."

Kazuya frowned. "...do you not value your life?"

"Kazuya!" Yuzu admonished him, glaring daggers at her friend. "How could you say that to Haru?!"

For her part, the singer merely smiled. "Hm, a good question." she said, completely unaffected. "Though I have no obligation to answer that."

The blue haired teen stared at her with a passive expression. Then he nodded in understanding. "I see."

Kirito could only sweat-drop. '...why do I get some serious vibes from these two?'

But the black haired survivor also noticed the number above Haru's head and mentally cursed. Just what is going to happen to make her die tomorrow? Based on their conversation...one thing came to mind.

Kirito's mind flashed back to a couple years ago back in SAO...after joining his first Guild...

His fist clenched tightly, an act that had not gone unnoticed by Asuna, nor Yui.

Just by looking back...was enough for Kirito's expression to darken. It was because of him...it was because of him that they were all...

Dammit!

"...Papa."

Kirito perked up and looked to her daughter, taking note of the expression of concern on her face. "Yes Yui?"

"Are you alright?" she asked, catching him off guard. "You look... very sad."

"I'm...I'm fine, Yui." Kirito reassured her with a forced smile.

"...liar." Yui said bluntly. Kirito was caught off guard by the reply, but then sighed wistfully, a sorrow smile crossing his face.

His daughter really knew him well, didn't she?

"...it's nothing for you to worry about, Yui." he told her. "I just... remembered something."

"But I am worried, papa." She retorted. "Your emotional data shows that you're feeling sorrow, regret, and even anger..."

"Like I said, it's-"

"Kirito-kun," Asuna interrupted him. "It's alright... you don't have to think about stuff right now."

"...Thanks Asuna..." He nodded to her gratefully. He really didn't want to bring up the past. It...just hurt too much.

"Well, thanks for saving my ass again." Haru smiled. "Maybe we can talk sometime?"

Kazuya smiled. "Sure, that'd be great."

"Sweet. Well, see you guys around." With a small wave, Haru left the group.

"You think she's going to be okay?" Atsuro asked. "She seemed kinda out of it."

"Yeah. And didn't Arsene mention something about Demons being summoned through song in the olden days?" Asuna brought up.

Agil nodded. "Yeah... what was it? A song that can call on demons?"

"That's right." Kazuya responded, recalling what Arsene informed of them. "However, the demon that is summoned is usually random as there wasn't anything at the time that could allow people to freely select the demon they desired."

"Why would demons want a song that's unstable?" Klein frowned. "Moreover, why does Haru know about it?"

"Who can say?" Asuna sighed. "Just add it to our already growing pile of questions." She turned to the blue-haired boy in worry. "Anyway, are you sure your alright, Akuma? Earlier, you were pretty terrifying... Do you even remember what happened?"

To her surprise, Kazuya nodded. "Yeah... for the most part." he answered her before a troubled expression crossed his mug. "I think... I remember hearing a voice."

"A voice?" Kirito, interested, leaned closer. "What did it say?"

"It said, 'accept me, and I shall grant thee the power to take thy throne. Though thyn path be filled with despair, thou shalt have the power to erase the thousand-year grudge.'"

These words caused the others to pause and think. Thy Throne...could it mean for the Throne of Hell? The one being fought over in the War of Bel? But...the thousand year grudge...what did that mean exactly?

"...uh, what?" Yuzu, clearly confused, shook her head. "Okay, I think the throne might refer to the war, but... what's this about a grudge?"

"Maybe it's really referring to Cain and Abel?" Sinon offered. "If we really are going by the theory that Kazuya is Abel, and Naoya is Cain, then the grudge might be referring to Abel's murder, if his hatred seriously damned him to hell and turned him into a demon."

"So Abel is holding that big of a grudge against Cain? And it's been passed onto Kazuya as well? Well, if I was killed like that, I'd be pretty pissed too." Klein added.

Kazuya listened to their conversation. But at the pit of his stomach, he felt a knot forming. He knew what Cain had done to Abel. He should be frustrated with him for sinning like that. And yet...he can't even bring himself to feel the slightest bit of rage. Only sorrow...

"That's enough, Klein!" Yuzu snapped harshly, causing the man to recoil. "Stop talking like Kazuya's some kind of demon!"

"S-sorry!" the samurai apologized. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"Next time, be sure you have a filter for your brain." Agil sighed. While he knew that Klein didn't mean it, it didn't appear the same way to Yuzu. Given how much she cares for Kazuya.

Keisuke understood this as well. It was clear by how Yuzu acted around him that she obviously viewed Kazuya as more than a simple friend. Still, she had a point. Just because he had some otherworldly power didn't necessarily mean he was a demon. "I wonder where Midori is..." he muttered quietly. "We haven't seen or heard anything at all about her... Just where could she be?"

"I don't know. But hopefully we'll be able to find her. Hopefully before we have to face Beldr in the cemetery..." Atsuro tried to reassure his friend.

"I hope so, Atsuro..."

He was still worried but...he would accept it for now and hope they would find her.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Master Kuzuryu, we've found him."

The blue-haired man turned about on his foot, his expression showing naught but elation. "Azama..." he smiled brightly. "You never cease to amaze me."

The squinty-eyed man merely bowed his head. "I am sorry for the delay," he apologized. "However, finding Kazuya Minegeshi proved to be a far more difficult task than anticipated."

"It is quite alright. No apologies are needed." The Shomonkai Founder raised a hand, a smile of benevolence on his face. "What matters is that you were able to locate him. Now tell me, what is the current situation?"

"Of course." Azama nodded. "It appears that our analysts proved to be correct. He is, without a doubt, the sixth Bel. The Bel of the Human World. He has shown signs of awakening, but it appears he has not fully come to accept the power that can take on the throne. From what we gather, it appears he intends on defeating Beldr, if the Laplace feature Naoya left behind proves to be accurate."

"I see..." Kuzuryu nodded, a hand at his chin. "It appears that Amane has proved to be far more perceptive than we thought, and to think, the last of the warriors of Bel would be Naoya's cousin of all people. Quite intriguing. Is there anything else?"

"We have continued our attempts at gathering more followers, and as things stand, we now have close to five hundred members." the man answered coolly. "At this pace, we are to reach the required quota before Lord Belberith's coming. In regards to obtaining the Primal Common Tongue, however, I'm afraid our attempts have proved to be futile. Ms. Harusawa proves to be quite stubborn, unlike Lady Aya. We've also confirmed that the followers of Belial have also begun to make attempts to acquire here power."

"Belial you say...?" At this, Kuzuryu's smile fell to an expression of intrigue. "That is interesting. With her...they would obtain the key to summoning Demons from the Great Expanse."

"Perhaps, if Ms. Harusawa were to obtain the means to harness her power." Azama agreed. "We have also begun to observe Beldr's manifestation. According to the magnetite levels in the area, he is to appear shortly. However, he will not be able to maintain a physical form for long. It would seem Kazuya Minegeshi's prior 'awakenings' have elicited his attention."

Kuzuryu chuckled. "So it would seem..." he mused. "Keep an eye on the situation. If you can, see if we can provide young Kazuya an edge."

Azama's narrowed eyes widened. "You wish to aid him?" he asked curiously, surprised by this command. "Is that wise?"

"With any luck, Beldr will be assimilated into young Kazuya, and thus, he will become a true candidate for the Throne." the Shomonkai Founder replied thusly. "If he manages to fully awaken as the sixth Bel, all that is left is to persuade him to our side."

"...I see." the man now understood Kuzuryu's goals. "In other words, you wish for Amane to get closer to him, and for him to join us, and in turn, hasten Lord Belberith's coming."

"Precisely."

If they were to bring another Bel to their side, Their Lord's return will be all the more fruitful. In the end, Belberith will assimilate the other Bels and return to his rightful form as the one, true Bel. The Sole King of Demons. The True God.

"Very well." Azama bowed his head once more. "I will inform Lady Amane, and inform our agents in aiding Kazuya Minegeshi in any way they can."

"May our Lord grant you his blessing, Azama." Kuzuryu told him, watching his faithful subordinate walk away briskly. As he did so, the man placed his hand to his chin, looking up at the ceiling. "How curious... For young Kazuya to be the sixth, and his cousin to be the one to provide us the means of preparing for this war... It is almost as if..."

He paused.

"...could it be...?"

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been half an hour before the group had managed to obtain a solid lead on Midori's whereabouts.

They heard rumors of a young girl in strange clothing summoning demons and protecting humans. She also kept chanting something about 'Magical Punishment'. Those two factors were enough to tell them it was Midori.

It appeared that she made good of her promise to protect innocent people...but how long will that keep up?

"Finally, we've got a lead!" Keisuke said, relieved as he let out a sigh. "Hopefully we can find her and stop her from doing anything stupid."

"Well, based on what we've been hearing of her saving normal humans so openly, showing off the fact she can use demons right before their eyes, and shouting out things like 'Magical Punishment'...I think we're a bit late for that." Sinon commented wryly.

Kirito scowled heavily. "Dammit, that stupid girl..." he snarled. "When I find her, I'm gonna..."

"Whoa, hey now Kirito." Atsuro warned. "Look, we know you're frustrated about this as much as the rest of us, but let's focus on what's important right now. Besides," he cracked a grin. "I think Keisuke might have a few problems with you beating up his girlfriend."

"A-Atsuro!" the afformentioned teen blushed, spluttering. "I-I told you already, it-it isn't like that!"

"Whatever you say, loverboy..." the techno-geek chuckled before noticing a group of people fleeing. "Huh...? What's going on?"

"H-help!" one of them cried out. "M-Monsters!"

"Guess that answers the question." Agil said blankly before stopping one of them. "Oi, what's going on?"

"M-monsters just started showing up out of nowhere!" a business man cried out, his face pale. "T-there was this girl there! S-she just started summoning demons and told us to get out of there!"

"Wait, a girl...?" Keisuke's eyes narrowed. "Was she wearing what looked like a cosplay outfit, and had blue hair?!"

"Y-yes!"

"That's Midori!" Kazuya snapped. "Come on!"

The others nodded and followed. They ended up in a ruined clearing that was infested with demons and filled with cowering civilians.

The demons were few in number, but they were recognizable; a pair of Wendigo, a Garm, and a skull with a snake slithering about it's form. "Loa, a Jaki demon." Yui recognized it, narrowing her eyes. "It will bind your movements if you get too close!"

"Then we need to attack from afar."

As the group prepared to whip out their COMPs, an unexpected arrival came by. "Whew, got here in time!" Keisuke's eyes widened, seeing a familiar girl dressed in a pink dress with white gloves, glasses resting on her face. At her side were two Cait Siths, armed and ready with a blade in hand. "Never fear, Magical Dolly is here!"

"Midori!" the boy cried. "What are you doing?!"

The cosplaying girl turned around and noticed the group. A bright smile appeared on her face. "Hi guys! Don't worry about me. I got this!"

"Like hell you do!" Kirito snapped. "Don't realize what kind of situation your putting yourself in?! At this rate, you'll-!"

He was cut off when a Wendigo, tired of the jibber-jabber, slammed down it's fists, creating a path if sharp ice... and it was aimed directly at the civilians. One woman screamed in horror as she watched her death looming closer, only for a familiar red figure to stop the attack, claws buried in the ground.

"I do hope I'm not late." Arsene said as he looked over his shoulder. "Now, young lady, if I were you... I'd start running."

He grinned.

"And fast."

The woman was frozen in terror from the Demon's appearance. But she did not fail to realize that it had saved her from being killed. Wordlessly, she nodded and fled the area.

Now that she was gone, Arsene refocused his attention to the Wendigo.

"Everyone, get ready!" Kazuya shouted, whipping out his COMP. "Atsuro, Yuzu, Keisuke! Let's go!"

The three nodded, taking out their own devices, and their demons taking to their side.

"Asuna, Suguha!" Kirito called out as Hagen appeared beside him, sword drawn. "It's time to go! Agil, you and the others make sure everybody gets out!"

The dark-skinned man, alongside Klein, Philia, and Sinon, nodded strongly. "Got it!" he said seriously. "You be careful, Kirito-kun!"

"You too!"

With their roles defined, the others went to action.

Meanwhile, Midori grinned. This was so awesome! Not only was she getting to help people, but she was getting to fight alongside her hero!

"Best! Day! EVER!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...ah...he's come..."

The Anguished One mused. He was sitting atop of a building overlooking the Demon Tamers.

"It would appear that Abel has already begun to show signs of awakening..."

A solemn smile was on his face. He was pleased. Not humanity has a chance to face the upcoming trials. But first they must win the war.

Still, though, it was a bit worrying. He was awakening without having managed to obtain the qualifications, thus if he 'awoke' now, it would certainly be problematic. Oh well, it wasn't like he was too worried about it. After all, they had the means to defeat whatever stood across their path.

"I must hand it to you...Kayaba Akihiko..." The Anguished one mused. "Who would've thought that a mere human were capable of stealing a portion of my master's Administrative Authority. You may have been human...but you performed a feat that no man should be capable of...how intriguing. I am anguished for not knowing you better."

It had been a true shame. Had he managed to know the man better, then perhaps...

He shook his head. "No, the trial would happen, regardless." he muttered sorrowfully. He looked up at the sky, a soft sigh escaping him. "I truly do hope they succeed...otherwise everything will have been for naught."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...this power...ah...so, you've arrived at last..."

"You are descending then?"

"Yes...I will test the sixth..."

A shadowed figure answered to the darkness. As it moved, the rattling of chains echoed.

It was still a little early to make his full debut. A little early to enter the Human world. A little early to make the world shed tears for him. To Lament for him.

Nevertheless, the appearance of a certain individual piqued his interest. He knew it was a little ahead of schedule, but his curiosity had a firm grasp on him. He wanted to know the full extent of this individual's abilities.

He desired to learn if the Bel of the Human world was truly worth it.

Within the darkness, the figure let out a dark smile.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oberon!"

"Cait Sith!"

"Jack Frost! Pyro Jack!"

At once, the four demons attacked in unison. The small snowman leaped into action, absorbing the blast of ice sent their way. Pryo Jack's pumpkin head grinned as it allowed the flames of it's lantern to lurch forward, blazing toward the Wendigo as the fairy king and Suguha's feline warrior began to assault it.

Their blades cut through the Beast's flesh as it roared in pain. Blood spilled from its open wounds as it moved around to swat the pests away.

"...good-bye, mister Wendigo." Yui bid the creature farewell as she swung her blade, cutting off its head. The demon fell on its body with a heavy thud, breaking apart shortly afterwards.

Asuna managed to give her a thumbs up before she jumped back to avoid having her head bit off by Loa, letting loose with a bolt of thunder. The skull backed off immediately, avoiding the zio. It was also quick to avoid being hit by Kazuya's Maragi.

"This guy's pretty quick." Kazuya took note. "But if it's a contest of speed..."

At that same moment, Keisuke came up from behind, electricity dancing around him. On the opposing side of the skull was Atsuro, who had wind dancing around his arm.

"Then let's see him dodge them."

"Elec Dance!"

"Zan!"

The attacks struck in unison. The bolts of lightning struck the skull dead on, leaving it in place before the wind sent it crashing into the wall. Before it had a chance to regain its bearings, Midori and her demons were already in action.

"Alright, kitties!" she declare as win danced around her body. "All at once! Force Dance!"

"Nya!" The two sword wielding cats yelled in battle. Their bodies and swords glowed briefly before a red aura blanketed their shamshirs. They rushed forward and swung their blades. The intersecting attack struck the Loa down the middle, slicing it into four pieces. Each piece fell before falling into particles.

"Wow," Yuzu observed, left in amazement. "She's able to use it so efficiently, in so short a time...!"

"I guess Midori's had a lot of practice with it." Keisuke noted solemnly. "The Wendigos and the Loa are gone. All that's left is the..." He turned to see the demonic red hound, only to see it being cut down by Hagen. "...nevermind."

The Black Samurai swung his blade to rid of the Hound's blood on it before sheathing it. As the bisected dog disintegrated, Klein, Agil, Philia, and Sinon returned.

"We got everyone evacuated!" Agil told them. "I can see you all took care of the Demons too."

"Well, it was a much smaller mob than what we encountered at the Concert Hall."

"Sweet~!" Midori performed a twirl, raising her hand in victory. "Justice never fails!"

Keisuke sighed, shaking his head. "Midori..."

Kazuya chuckled at the sight, though he was a bit worried, given by the fact that Kazuto was glaring daggers at the girl. It was clear by his face that he was, in no way, happy about Midori's actions. He didn't blame him. What Midori was doing was reckless. Even if it was for the right reasons, she was too risky in her actions. People can't tell the differences between demons used by Demon Tamers, and demons that run amok freely. Most likely, they would view her as someone who was making the situation worse...

...and he didn't want to think about he consequences. He was about to speak up, to try and convince her to stop, or at the very least, change her methods, before his body suddenly froze as a dark, oppressive feeling overwhelmed him.

'Wh-what in the...?!' he thought in shock. His COMP became encased in the familiar black and red crackling electricity. 'What... is this...?!'

**"...I've found you...Bel of the Human World!"**

A Deep voice bellowed throughout the area. Everyone whipped their heads around, trying to locate the source.

"Over there!" Sinon pointed out to the center of a clearing where a dark miasma gathered. The blackness seemed to deepen and expand as it fluctuated. In the next moment, multiple chains shot out of the void and into the air. Some speared themselves into the ground, others stabbed into nearby buildings, while the rest seemed to grasp the air itself. The rattling of metallic links echoed through the city block as a massive figure materialized from the miasma.

It was a tall being that appeared to be male. His body was completely clad in silver armor from the neck down. Wrapped around his limbs were the chains from before. His handsome face was very eerie, the complexion being as black as charcoal with glowing red eyes. In contrast to the darkness, the being had blinding white teeth and a mane of silver hair. Strangely, there seemed to be some sort of disc-like collar at the back of his neck. But what stood out the most was the sheer intensity of the power he was emitting. It was nothing like they ever felt before from the other demons.

This guy was on a whole nother level!

"W-whoa!" Atsuro backpedaled, left overwhelmed by the demon's power. "What the hell?!"

The being raised his head, letting out an exhale as he spread his arms. **"Ah, yes... the mortal realm. It has been a long time indeed."** he exclaimed before looking at the group. He gave them a brief glance before his gaze fell upon the blue-haired teen. As soon as he laid eyes on Kazuya, a grin broke out across his face. **"The Sixth... it has been a long time."**

"W-what?"

That was as far as Kazuya got before the being opened his palm. In the next second, an inferno of flames was sent hurling his way.

"Look out!" Agil yelled as he tackled the boy to the ground, narrowly missing the stream of flames. Keisuke pulled Midori out of the way. Atsuro dropped to the ground with Yuzu. Klein pulled Philia and Sinon to the ground to avoid the blast. Kirito and Asuna crouched down and shielded Yui.

The fire passed by them and impacting an adjacent building, engulfing it in a horrid blaze.

In a matter of seconds, the entire complex was swallowed in flame. "Y-you gotta be shittin' me..." Klein said shakily, looking at the demon in utter horror. "T-the fuck kind of shit is this?!"

"Yui!" Kirito said quickly. "What demon is that?!"

The young AI couldn't speak as she stared at the armor-clad being. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. According to the Laplace mail, he wasn't supposed to appear until later!

"Yui?" Asuna looked at her daughter in worry.

"Papa...Mama..." She began shakily. "That demon...is Beldr The Immortal..."

"What?!" Atsuro cried. "Beldr?! The big boss?! That's him?!"

"B-but that can't be!" Yuzu shouted. "He's not supposed to be here! Isn't he suppose to show up at the Aoyama Cemetary?!"

The demon, now identified as Beldr, chuckled. **"The bindings of Niflheim cannot hold me forever..."** he said with amusement. **"Consider this a mere prelude... However, my business is not with you humans."** He turned his gaze to Kazuya, who stood to his feet, COMP in hand, blue eyes focused into a defiant, angry glare. The white-haired demon grinned widely. **"Ah... How many years has it been since we've set foot on the battlefield, Abel?"**

The others looked on in alarm. Their focus was now onto Kazuya. That being...Beldr...just called him...Abel?

Then...was their theory from before true?

As soon as Beldr finished speaking, Kazuya felt a sharp pain erupt in his skull. He clutched his head with his free hand and nearly dropped his COMP in the process.

'Nrgh... My head...!'

**"...accept me...and take thy throne..."**

'N-no...! Get out...!'

The veins in his head visibly bulged through his skin as he fell on his knees.

The voice in his head was continuously urging him. But Akuma refused. He refused to give in. He didn't ask for this. He...He didn't want...

**"...it is exactly...what you want..."**

'Like...hell...!'

**"Oh?"** Beldr tilted his head**. "Refusing to accept the power you are granted? Hm, it would appear your human side is quite resilient..."** He brought up his arms. **"...very well then. Let us grant you an incentive."**

Balls of fire gathered within the being's outstretched palms, both directed at his friends.

**"If you continue to refuse to accept what is rightfully yours...then I will torch your companions before your very eyes..."** Beldr grinned in grim amusement.

Kazuya's eyes widened. No... he couldn't!

The demon grinned wickedly even further as the flames shot towards his friends.

"NO!"

In the next second, an explosion followed. The blast created a small shockwave, blowing apart the debris around them, as well as blazing cracks that gathered around the ground. Beldr could only smile in satisfaction. **"There... Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"**

His answer was crimson red flames heading towards him.

The demon just stood still and received the attack. The flames impacted his body, but failed to leave a single burn. At best, Beldr only felt a gust of hot air.

The Sixth Bel was interesting. He actually made him feel discomfort!

As the cloud of flames began to part, it revealed Kazuya standing in front of his friend, the dark aura dancing around his body, and his eyes dark red. A dark glare was present on his face, as well as the red flames writhing around his hands.

"...you just made the biggest mistake of your life."

**[Devil Survivor OST: Garuda]**

**"Yes...this is more like it! This is how it should be!" **Beldr cackled in glee. **"Come at me, Sixth Bel! Show me what you are capable of!"**

"...Gladly!" Kazuya shot another stream of flames at the metallic demon.

In response, Beldr swung his arms, his chains extending outward as well along with the swing, which destroyed the blast of flames. As this happened, Kazuya charged at him, inches away from him with his hand clenched into a fist. He swung in a wide arc, ramming his fist straight into Beldr's jaw. The force of the punch, added to the flames, was enough to send him flying straight into the same building he had set ablaze.

He crashed into the blazing ruins. Burning rubble fell on top of him as the structure collapsed.

Kazuya seemed to relax slightly as his foe was buried, but dared not to drop his guard.

His actions had proven correct as Beldr erupted from the flaming ruins without as much as a scratch on his body.

**"Hahahaha...! Excellent...EXCELLENT! This is how it should be! But you must do better than that pitiful excuse for an attack to damage my majestic body!"**

Atsuro's heart dropped. "Y-you gotta be kidding..." he shuddered. "A building just crashed on top of him... and he doesn't even have a scratch?!"

"Akuma's punch didn't do anything either..." Suguha frowned. "This guy... He really is immortal!"

A scowl made itself present on Kirito's face. "Dammit, we have to get out of here!" he shouted at the group. "We don't stand a chance against this guy right now!" He turned to Kazuya. "Akuma, come on! Let's go!"

The blue haired teen didn't respond. Instead, he charged right at Beldr.

"Kazuya! Didn't you hear me?! We gotta get out of here!" Kirito yelled.

"It's not going to work papa." Yui shook her head sadly. "His rage levels are out of control. He can't be reasoned with anymore."

Beldr brought back his own arm, and pulled it forward. As a result, two colliding fists met. Flames and shockwaves unified as everything around them was being blown back. A ferocious wind nearly sent the group flying as the two opposing powers tried to overpower one another, only to be met with a stalemate.

"So...this is what a fight between Bels looks like." The Anguished One mused from atop his perch.

The two backed away, though Beldr, in his retreat, launched several chains at him. Kazuya maneuvered his body, evading them with ease before spiraling around on his feet, a chain shooting right above his chest. In that same instance, he grabbed it, and once he stopped his retreat, he pulled the silver demon towards him.

Despite his massive size, Beldr was pulled forward by the Bels tremendous strength. However, Beldr managed to steady himself on his feet and stand his ground.

**"Is that all, Abel?!"** he taunted. **"Surely, you can do better than this!"**

In response, Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "...Arsene."

The Great Phantom Thief materialized behind the demon of Bel, his claws sharp and poised. "You but only need to ask, my liege..."

**"Oh?"** the immortal demon raised an eyebrow. **"You think a mere demon can lay a finger on me?"  
**  
Arsene, in response, felt his flaming grin grow. "Oh, I'm more than some demon." he said as his smoky wings unfurled. "I am a thief, first and foremost... and the life of an immortal demon is sure to be a great treasure." He tipped his iron hat. "Besides... my liege has given me the order, and thus, I shall rob you of your immortality."

**"Hmhmhm...We shall see...I'm curious to see how this servant of the Sixth Bel will fare against me!"**

"Ladies first," Arsene mocked, spreading his arms out. "Bore-dr."

**"...You are the first to die.**" Beldr stated as he shot several chains out to kill the nuisance.

However, Arsene dodged every chain with ease. He took the skies, evading more incoming chains that were obviously meant to capture and choke the life out of him. Kazuya took advantage of him singling out Arsene, and let loose another blast of flames.

But despite their efforts, the flames still refused to harm Beldr, who simply shrugged them off.

However, that was not to say the demon was becoming more and more elated. **"That's it, Abel!"** he cried out in joy. **"Just a bit more! Then, and only then, can we truly begin this war once more!"**

"..." Kazuya remained silent as he continued to attack.

As the two continued to try and kill one another, one unable to die and the other continuing to try and reduce him to ash, the group was forced to backpedal away, lest they be caught in the flames. "Kazuya!" Suguha shouted over the sounds of battle. "Wake up! You can't beat this guy! He's too strong!"

"She's right!" Yuzu yelled. "You gotta snap out of it!"

The boy didn't heed them. His entire mind was focused on defeating Beldr.

He threatened his friends. He tried to kill them. He will pay!

**"Claim it..."** the voice whispered in the back of his head. **"Take it...take thy birthright..."**

He leaped away from several chains that would have otherwise entrapped him, and spun around, tossing crimson flames at Beldr before he could perform his next move. Arsene followed up with a swift drop attack, his feet slamming atop the armored demon as its body was forced into the ground. Beldr wasn't damaged by the attack, but he did throw the thief off of him, sending into the air before managing to stake a chain around his ankle, and began to spin him around, thrashing him into the ground.

Akuma charged in close, faster than he had moved before. He rammed his hand into Beldr's face, and allowed the flames to implode into his face.

Once more, an attack failed to injure Beldr, but he was disoriented from the force of the blow. The tension in the chain binding Arsene had slackened, giving the Demon the opportunity to untangle himself. He flew and landed beside his master.

"Honestly, how bothersome." Arsene complained, folding his arms as he looked to Kazuya. "Even with the power at your disposal, we're not getting anywhere at this rate. What do you suggest, my liege?"

Kazuya opened his mouth to speak-

"Kazuya, that's enough..."

His eyes widened. His eyes turned to the corner of his field of sight. There, off to the side, he found him, standing there with a look that was foreign and alien to him, red eyes narrowed in concern.

"Now's not the time... fall back."

Slowly, the red glow faded from his eyes, returning to their previous blue luster. Not a second later, he felt his body BURN.

"Guh...Gragh...GRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" The teen cried out in agony. It felt like his body was on fire. From the inside out!

"KAZUYA!" Yuzu screamed in horror as the boy dropped to his knees, blood suddenly flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She immediately ran over to him, ignoring the protests of the others, rushing to his side.

Beldr scowled as he looked to the now vacant spot where a certain annoying pest once stood. "Cain..." he growled in contempt. Honestly, that damned pest was so troublesome... and it was so close. The boy had almost begun to awaken. Oh well... given that he was running out of time, he might as well take Abel's power for himself. He turned back to the two humans and Devil, stretching his arm out, intending to incinerate them-

"BACK! AWAY!"

-and received a brutal, heavy strike to his jaw, which sent him crashing into a vacant building, one that was barely untouched by the battle. No sooner had Spriggan landed the blow did he return to the COMP, his owner turning to the two. "Yuzu!" Philia shouted. "C'mon, let's go! Arsene, can you carry Akuma?!"

"I still have my wings, don't I?"

"Then get your ass in gear!"

"W-what?!" Midori shouted in protest. She had mostly been watching the battle in silence, torn between feeling utterly awed and amazed by the level of strength Kazuya was showing, despite the fact that this Beldr guy was taking every hit in stride, but also wanting to jump in as well. It was her duty as a magical girl to ensure people's safety, and naturally, Beldr, being an evil demon, had to be defeated for the sake of peace... but they wanted to escape? "W-why?! We have him on the ropes!"

"Midori, we can't fight Beldr right now!" Keisuke scolded her, eyes glaring at her in concern. "Kazuya may have had the power to send him flying, but right now, we can't kill him, much less put a scratch on him! We have to regroup, and figure things out!"

"B-but!"

"No arguments!" he snapped. "C'mon! Let's go!"

"Right!" The Great Thief carefully lifted his master bridal style and took to the skies.

"Come on! Let's move!" Kirito led the retreat.

Midori looked at them. Then at Beldr. Then at Kazuya, who was being picked up by Arsene.

She turned her eyes away and reluctantly agreed. "Mou...fine."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naoya, for the first time in this incarnation, was absolutely livid and worried. "Damned that immortal..." he swore as he quickly made his way through the abandoned streets at a quick, but steady pace. "Kazuya's not ready yet... If he had been in that state any longer..." His scowl grew, and his fists clenched. His nails threatened to draw blood. "I should be at least glad I was able to pull him out."

If he hadn't been able to snap his brother out of that state...Kazuya would be dead. If the power of Bel awakened in his fragile body so soon, it wouldn't be able to take it. It would've broken down by the sheer strain of it.

Naoya refused to let that happen. He lost his brother once. He would go through hell many times over before he lost him again.

A sigh of frustration escaped him as he ran his fingers through his silver mane, pausing briefly in his steps. Why was it that these damned demonic Bels had to go and make things so troublesome for him and his brother? "It would appear that you are quite troubled, Naoya Minegeshi." a melodious voice spoke behind him, accompanied by the soft falls of footsteps. "Then again, it is understandable, given that your brother nearly burned himself out."

He turned, and his eyes widened in shock. In front of him was the Anguished One, his gentle, yet forlorn smile ever present. Beside him stood the ever-murderous form of Bifrons, candelabrum in hand. "...well, this is a surprise." he remarked as his shock faded away, turning to face the enigma fully. "I never expected this... It's been a while, Anguished One."

"Indeed it has." said being replied. "I believe the last time we met was shortly after Adam had sentenced you to exile, and YHVH branded you forever with the curse of reincarnation."

"Indeed." The silver haired man nodded. The bitter memories of the past rose to the surface, a scowl marring his features. The death of his brother. The scorn from his own parents. This endless well of regret, anger, and resentment within him.

It was all because of YHVH!

"Now there's a face that'd make a Bel wet himself." Bifrons cackled, seeing the darkened look on Naoya's face. "Almost forgot that ugly mug of yours can be reaaaaaaaly terrifying sometimes."

Naoya ignored the little imp, and directed his attention to the Anguished One. "So then... what brings you here?" he asked out of curiosity. "Let me guess... it has something to do with Kazuto Kirigaya, and Kayaba Akihiko?"

"Yes." the Anguished One nodded in confirmation. "I wanted to see the Arbiter's progress... as well as the conclusion of one of the many trials that is to come."

"I see..." Naoya understood. He was an observer of the War. Determining whether or not Humanity will succeed this trial set by YHVH. Whether or not the Human Bel, Abel, will emerge victorious.

Naoya already knew the answer. His brother WILL succeed. He will make sure of it.

"So, tell me..." the enigma smiled wryly, knowing the answer to his question. "Has the knowledge I've given you been of use?"

The silver-haired man chuckled. "More than enough," he replied, smirking. "Thanks to you and Kayaba, the method of Demon Summoning was able to be digitalized and simplified. It certainly made things useful, especially thanks to that man's generous donations. I sincerely doubt the altered COMPs, much less this pathetic attempt at a lockdown, would have ever come to pass, were it not for you."

"There is no need to thank me." The man responded. "I merely wished to see humanity's potential, whether they can surpass a trial of this magnitude."

A chortle escaped him. "If humanity can't even pass a simple trial like this, then it doesn't stand a chance of the trial that is to come."

"I couldn't agree more." The other said. "If they can't stand up to the Demons, Bels, and Angels, then what hope could they stand up to the Administrator and its Swords?"

"Isn't that why their fighting, though?" Naoya said, a smile finding its way to his face. "To pave way for the future?"

"Quite so." The non-human nodded. "Even now...humanity still possesses drive. A sense of purpose. An ambition. And the will to see it through."

"Bah!" Bifrons scoffed. "You two and your humans! Diiiiiiiisgusting!"

The two naturally ignored him.

"So...Do you believe that Abel will succeed in obtaining the Devil's Fuge? He will need it to defeat Beldr later today." Anguished one questioned.

Naoya gave him a look. "Do you really need to ask? Of course he will succeed. He is my brother after all."

XXXXXXXXXX

It felt like hours before the group finally found a good stopping point after having left the battleground. Everyone was currently exhausted, panting heavily as they each took to different parts of the ground for comfort. Yuzu and Atsuro were standing beside an unconscious Kazuya, who was propped up against the wall in the shade, his chest calmly rising and falling. "I thought last time was bad..." Atsuro muttered as Yuzu wiped away the last bits of blood. "But, that was... God, he was bleeding from every hole in his head..." He gritted his teeth. "...hey, Yoohoo... If he hadn't stopped when he did... I-if he...kept going... What would have happened to him?"

Yuzu didn't answer him. She didn't even want to think about that. All she cared about was looking after her friend, who laid unconscious before her. 'The look in his eyes...' she thought in sadness and worry, her heart beating hard as the memory of him battling Beldr came to mind. 'It was almost like he really was a demon...' The instant the thought crossed her mind, she shook her head. 'N-no, stop thinking like that, Yuzu!'

This was her friend she was talking about! There was now way he could be a demon! Whatever that Beldr guy said be damned! Kazuya wasn't a Demon! He was Kazuya Minegishi, their friend! A normal human!

She refused to think of him like the monsters they have been fighting. Monsters like Beldr. She refused to believe it. With that thought, she finally wiped away the last bit of blood. But he still needed medical attention. Who knows what type of internal damage that surge of power did to him.

At once, she summoned Pixie and performed a few dia spells. While it wasn't much for now, at least some healing was done.

Back with the SAO Survivors, as well as Keisuke and Midori, the latter two were engaged in a heated discussion.

"But why should I give up the COMP?!" Midori snapped at her friend hotly. "I'm helping people, aren't I?!"

"Yes, you are!" Keisuke kept his voice even, but the group could tell he was struggling not to raise his voice. "But your not seeing the bigger picture here, Midori! There's a cause and effect to everything, and right now, you saving people is only making things worse! Do you even see your Death Clock right now?!"

The girl's face crunched in confusion. "Death Clock?"

"The number above your head states how many days you have left to live. You can see our numbers, right? We're going to die today, and at the hands of that demon we saw earlier, and your going to die tomorrow! Unless you give up that COMP, Midori, your are SERIOUSLY going to die!"

Midori bit her lip. As much as she wanted to write this Death Clock thing off, she couldn't deny that Keisuke might be right, given that he had done a lot for her. Maybe he was right, maybe she was going to die tomorrow, and the prospect of Keisuke, the boy who saved her, and the one who gave her this chance to become a Magical Girl, did not sit well with her. If she gave up her COMP, maybe she could alter her fate. Maybe she'd live longer... but she couldn't. She had the means to protect people, to become a hero, just like Kirito, the man who defeated SAO!

She shook her head in defiance. "N-no way!" she told him, causing him to go wide-eyed. Was she serious?! Did she really not value her own life right now?! "A Magical Girl, much less a hero, never backs down from a fight!"

"Midori..."

From the side, Kirito scowled deeply, one that was not missed by Asuna. She could see how strained his jaw was just from how hard he was clenching it, and Yui was just as concerned, seeing his emotional levels in a flurry. "Kirito-kun?" she called out in worry, reaching out her hand. However, he moved away before she could touch him, marching right up to the two.

What he did next made everyone stop cold.

SLAP!

"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!"

Kirito held his hand up while Midori nursed her cheek, where a bright red hand print throbbed. It took a few moments for everyone to process what just happened.

Kirito just slapped Midori.

"DON'T YOU EVEN REALIZE THE FULL WEIGHT OF YOUR ACTIONS?!" He roared. "YOUR INTENTIONS MAY BE NOBLE...BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU WILL TRULY BE APPRECIATED BY THOSE YOU SAVE?! EVERYONE IN THIS LOCKDOWN IS STRUCK WITH TERROR BECAUSE OF THE DEMONS! AND YOU'RE JUST PRANCING AROUND WITH YOUR COMP, FLAUNTING YOUR DEMONS ALL AROUND TRYING TO PLAY HERO! JUST GROW UP ALREADY! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO PLAY SUPERHERO AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE, STRESS IS HIGH, AND EVERYONE IS IN DANGER! AND YOU USING YOUR DEMONS SO FREELY IS ONLY MAKING THINGS WORSE! NORMAL PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WILD DEMONS AND DEMONS USED BY DEMON TAMERS! FOR ALL THEY CARE, YOU COULD BE SEEN AS THE SOURCE OF THE DEMON PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD TRY TO KILL YOU! HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF THAT?! HUH?! NO! YOU DIDN'T! ALL BECAUSE YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY HERO WITHOUT FACING REALITY!" Kirito screamed in absolute fury. By the time he was finished, he was gasping for breath, his anger still seething. His throat ached from how loud he yelled, but he didn't care.

The others could only look at him in a mixed sensation of shock and terror. Never...NEVER have they seen Kirito that furious. He downright looked like he was going to murder Midori right then and there. Their ears rang from the magnitude of his scream. The cosplayer trembled under his gaze. Yuzu felt herself tremble as well. That look in Kirito's eyes...it was not one would see in human eyes.

It would be more like the eyes of a Demon.

Everyone shared the same thoughts. A few of the others recognized the livid look Kirito had, especially Suguha. The last time she had witnessed such a face of pure rage was during the SAO incident. Truly, she had never seen a more horrifying, if not terrifying visage, in all of her life. It was a trembling experience to bear witness too...

And Midori was on the receiving end of it... and she was not taking it well.

Tears gathered in Midori's eyes. The pain in her cheek was nothing compared to what her hero had just told her. She sniffled and trembled.

"B-b-but...!" Her voice was choked. She couldn't even talk right. "I-I...I...!"

"K-Kirigaya-san, that's harsh!" Keisuke protested, clearly not approving of Kirito's actions. While he did agree with what he said... he had gone too far. "Look, I know Midori doesn't understand what's going on, but don't you think your overreacting?!"

"I'M overreacting?!" the teen bellowed, whirling around to face the brunette. "How the hell can you even defend her?! She's digging herself a deeper grave every time she uses her COMP! She's practically going to kill herself!" His scowl grew. His face was hurting, as was the growing and intensifying rage. "I told you giving her a COMP was a bad idea, but you didn't listen!"

Had this been any other situation, Keisuke would have backed down. That was what he always did when he entered high school. When someone began to threaten or ostracize him, he would slink away, or simply give in. However, the look of hurt on Midori's face... It had brought only anger. "Maybe your right," he said slowly, admitting his mistake. "Maybe it was a bad idea giving her a COMP..."

For the first time, ever since the lockdown began, Keisuke shouted. "BUT AT LEAST I GAVE HER A FIGHTING CHANCE!"

Everyone turned their heads in his direction. "AT LEAST I'M THE ONE WHO GAVE HER A CHANCE TO SURVIVE! ALL YOU TRIED TO DO WAS TAKE HER OUT OF THE FIGHT!"

"I TOLD HER TO GET TO A SHELTER!" He argued. "IT WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER OPTION THAN HER RISKING HER LIFE PLAYING HERO!"

'SO YOU'D RATHER HER TO JUST SIT AROUND IN CONSTANT FEAR OF BEING KILLED BY DEMONS WITHOUT EVEN A MEANS OF DEFENDING HERSELF?!" Keisuke spat back scathingly.

"...Look. I only gave her a COMP because you convinced me that she can be trusted with one and use it responsibly...AND LOOK WHERE THAT ENDED UP!"

"Which would be a better option?!" Keisuke growled, his hands balling into fists. "Leave her defenseless, or fight back, because, in case you haven't noticed, NOWHERE IS SAFE! Demons are walking around in broad daylight, attacking anyone they come across! We can't be there to save everyone, and neither can the Shomonkai! Even if Midori IS going to die tomorrow, at least I gave her a means to defend herself than let her die!"

"Even when the means to save herself could be the factor that kills her?!" Kirito rebuked.

No one liked where this was going. Watching these two fight...it was like watching a pair of demons fighting one another. Both bore completely menacing expressions, on borderline demonic.

This was too much. They were taking things too far!

Philia walked up to the two. "Hey, you two! That's enough-"

Before she even finished, Keisuke did the unthinkable.

He punched Kirito, square in the face.

The black haired teen staggered from the blow before he pulled himself together. He pressed a few fingers to his nose and took a look. There was blood on them. He was bleeding. As he clenched his hand into a fist, he glared at Keisuke with unbridled rage. With inhuman speed, he charged right up dealt a devastating right hook to the face. He also followed up with a heavy blow to the gut.

The bespectacled teen crumpled to the floor in a gasping heap. The wind was knocked out of him and he was pretty sure his jaw was bruised.

The group immediately became alarmed. What the hell were these two thinking?! "Oi!" Klein growled, stomping over to them. "That's enough!"

Thankfully, a mediator appeared between them before things became more out of hand. To their surprise, it was Arsene... and if the flaming expression on his metal mask was any indication, he was certainly not amused by what he was seeing. "Ahem." he cleared his throat, as if making a gesture, but if the tone of his voice was any indication, he was not happy in the least bit of sense. "Would the two of you kindly stop being ignorant fools? There is a reason I am called a 'gentleman thief' for a reason, boys, and if there is one thing I absolutely hate, it is when someone goes and makes a woman burst into tears."

He glared at Kirito. "Your anger is justifiable, however, you are projecting too much." Kirito opened his mouth to retort, but the demon's glare instantly shot down any protest. "Don't you dare say anything, because we both know any excuse that will come from your mouth is total and utter shit."

He then turned to Keisuke, who was being propped upright by Shino. "And as for you, young man..." he said slowly, folding his arms over his chest. "Your actions are the root of this problem, as noble as they may be. True, you gave the young woman a fighting chance, but you've also hastened her death as well. I believe you humans have a saying, 'the path to hell is paved with good intentions?' That proverb best fits what's going on right now, wouldn't you agree?"

The two flinched at his words, but they couldn't deny them either.

"Here is a bit of advice to the both of you..." Arsene said slowly, his tone low and dangerous. "...quit being pathetic and barbaric pieces of garbage, before I rip out your hearts." The flames on his mask grew more intense as he glared at the two, who refused to meet his gaze. If looks could kill, Kirito and Keisuke would be dead. "And while your at it... apologize to one another."

Both Keisuke and Kirito looked away from the others, perceiving the ground to be a better source of interest. However...Arsene's words rang true. They were being nothing more than complete jerks and idiots. They were just...completely frustrated with this situation.

After what seemed like forever, both teens looked at one another in the eye. "...I'm sorry Keisuke...for snapping like that. I was angry at what Midori was doing...and I just blew it all out of proportion.

The glasses-wearing boy rubbed the back of his head. "N-no... I'm the one who should be saying sorry." he said, his words completely genuine. "I... didn't mean to do that. I just..."

"I know..." Kirito nodded earnestly. "I just...I just didn't want Midori to die like that. I didn't want that to happen..." His expression was somber. "There was no way I was going to let someone die...again..." His thoughts drifted back to the Moonlit Black Cats. The expressions of horror and despair on each of their faces as they were cut down in that anti-crystal trap. Tetsuo, Sasamaru, Ducker. All of them killed quickly. Sachi's final words. And Keita's final words of scorn before committing suicide.

Arsene nodded his head, clearly pleased. "Well, now that the two of you reconciled, why don't you..."

He trailed off as he looked to where Midori should have been standing...only to find her missing. A sweat drop formed atop his head. "...that girl is going to be the death of us."

"What?! Are you serious?!" Both teens cried out in exasperation. Then again, Midori probably got terrified of the situation and fled. They didn't blame her. They did act like a couple of douche bags.

"S-should we go after her?" Suguha asked. "I-I mean, her Death Clock is..."

She received no answer. Everyone was quiet for a long while, but eventually, Kirito sighed. "...no, I think I've done enough damage for one day." he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Besides... Keisuke did give her a way to fight back."

"Kirito-kun..." Asuna said slowly, eyes frowning. "Are you sure about this?"

He nodded. "Yeah... As sure as I can be, at the very least."

He said some hurtful things that he could never take back. He needed to give Midori some space. He just hoped that he didn't alter her fate for the worse. If nothing has changed, then she should still have one day left. No matter what happened, they had to save her tomorrow at the very latest.

He refused to let another innocent die.

Keisuke seemed to agree with him, nodding solemnly. He then looked back to where Kazuya was resting. "...how's Kazuya?"

"Well, the bleeding's stopped. But he's still unconscious." Yuzu responded. Her breathing was heavy after using so many Dia spells to try and heal the internal damage. She and Pixie did what they could, but he's still asleep.

Arsene landed on his feet and knelt by his master.

"Hm..." he hummed, a talon at his chin as he observed the blue-haired boy closely. "It would seem he's slowly recovering, though I suspect he won't wake up for a long time. His body isn't ready to handle that amount of power yet."

Agil's face became stern as he looked at the boy with a look of pity. "So... it's for real?" he asked. "He's a Bel?"

"The Bel of the Human World, Abel. Otherwise known as the Sixth Bel, and the younger brother of Cain." Arsene formally introduced his master's true nature, his flaming grin growing wider. "Interesting, no?"

"...Interesting...INTERESTING?!" Yuzu snapped at the Demon in a fury. "Kazuya-kun looked like he was about to die fighting that Beldr thing, he was bleeding profusely, and he isn't showing any sign of waking up, and he's a demon!...and all you can do is call this interesting?!"

"I call it as I see it."

Arsene replied bluntly. "But nevertheless, I will do everything in my power to ensure my master emerges victorious."

Atsuro immediately glared at the demon, his face set into a look of anger. "Wait, are you saying you KNEW Kazuya was a Bel all this time?!" he accused the thief. "Why the hell didn't you tell us?!"

"You didn't ask." Arsene shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, much to the anger of Atsuro. "At any rate, I need to heal up these pesky wounds." He gave the humans a mock salute. "Until next time, ladies and gents."

With that, he disappeared back into Akuma's COMP.

Silence lingered throughout the group. Their friend was a candidate to become the King of Demons?

"...well," Klein broke the silence with a deadpan. "Is it just me, or is this turning into a fucked-up game where the hero becomes a demon ruling badass?"

Agil felt his eyebrow twitch. "Klein, not the time."

"Hey, I'm just saying what's on my mind is all." the red-haired man defended himself as he looked at Kirito. "Don't you think so, Kirito-kun?"

The black swordsman did not respond. He was sitting on a nearby bench deep in thought.

"Kirito-kun?" Asuna called out, her face soft. "Are you okay?"

"...I'm fine, Asuna..."

"You sure about that?" Shino cut in, giving him the stink-eye. "Looked to me that you were so pissed it wasn't even funny. Hell, I saw Yui about to cry." Kirito winced upon hearing that, glancing over at his daughter, who was standing beside Kazuya, as if looking over him for any mental damage caused during his battle with Beldr. Though she looked pretty calm, he could see a slight teary remainder. He cursed himself for letting his daughter see that side of him... She had never seen him so emotional, so angry before, but it couldn't be helped. Seeing Midori being so careless reminded him too much of what happened with his old guild. The reminder of the incident still haunted him.

"...seeing Midori using her COMP carelessly just trudged up some bad memories." he told Sinon with a heavy sigh. "Probably the worst memories."

Sinon's eyes softened, but she still didn't look so pleased. "...does said memories involve that guild you talked about before back in SAO?" He gave her a quiet nod. She sighed. "Well, I guess it couldn't be helped then. But, Kirito-kun, seriously, next time, don't go ballistic, okay?"

"...I'll try not to..." He sighed. Every time those memories popped up...it felt like he was no longer in control of himself.

"Good." Asuna smiled. "Now, in the meantime... how do we defeat Beldr?"

And there it was, the million dollar question on everyone's minds.

"I...don't know." Kirito replied with a shake of the head. "After seeing him in action... I don't know if our demons will cut it. Kazuya, definitely, with that power he had, but it's obvious he can't use it for long periods, but I'm not so sure we can defeat him. Not to mention the fact he's immortal."

"Yeah..." Klein nodded. "We still need to find that mistletoe thing... but just what the heck is it? Moreover, how're we supposed to know what it is?!"

"I think the better question is, what is it exactly?" Keisuke cut in with a thoughtful look on his face. "If only we could peek into history... then maybe we could figure something out."

Upon hearing the conversation, specifically Keisuke's piece, Atsuro's eyes lit up. "Peek into history..." he whispered before an excited grin appeared on his face. "THAT'S IT! Keisuke, your a genius!"

"I-I am?" The bespectacled teen asked with widened eyes. Just what did he say?

"Yeah! We can find our answers using this!" He pulled out his COMP.

"Huh? How are we going to find answers with your COMP?" Yuzu asked.

"You remember how I told you that the COMPs run on a totally different server than the others, right?" he asked, earning a nod. "And, according to Yui, that server has information on demons, and their respective lores. So, if Beldr is listed..."

Kirito's eyes widened in realization. "Then his information should also be there!"

"Bingo!"

Kirito nodded eagerly as he took out his own COMP. With this...they should be able to find their answers.

"Whoa, wait a sec here..." Philia stopped them, looking utterly. "I think I more or less have the gist of what you guys are planning, but... how exactly are you going to get info on Beldr? I mean, sure, you might be able to get some information with that Demonic Compendium thing, but that requires you having created a demon with the Cathedral of Shadows, or buying him from the Auction. How are you planning on getting his legend?"

"Easy." Atsuro flicked his nose as he opened up his bag, taking out his laptop. "The good old fashion way."

Agil's eyes widened considerably. "W-whoa, hey now... are you telling me you boys are gonna-"

"Yep," Kirito finished with a grin. "We're gonna hack into the server! Yui, you think you can guide us through to the info on Beldr?"

The girl smiled brightly as she nodded excitedly, sitting next to Kirito and Atsuro as the techno geek hooked up the COMP's together. As soon as they were, he attached the cords to his laptop, and in the next second, began to type furiously on the keyboard.

Kirito on the other hand connected the manual chargers to their laptops. From what he's checked, they do not have much battery life left. "we only have ten minutes of juice left on our laptops batteries. We need you guys to keep cranking the charger until it dies. It may not be much, but it's all we have. Think you can do that?"

"Don't worry. Leave this to us." Klein said as he started to crank the handle with all his might.

"I'll help as well." Keisuke took charge of the other charger.

Yui looked at each member of the group, then at Keisuke and her papa. The rising negative emotions she detected earlier have decreased dramatically. This brought a smile on her face.

'Thank goodness...!'

XXXXXXXXXX

"...no...no no no...!"

When Kazuya opened his eyes, he found himself staring at what could only be called a nightmare.

He stood in the middle of the Yamanote circle...or rather...what was left of it.

Flames roared violently all around him, every structure with sight has been destroyed, their remains littering the cracked ground. The sky was a deep, bloody red. The black smoke and bright orange sparks floated in the air.

His nostrils flared in disgust from the foul stench of rotting flesh, burning corpses, and blood.

His hand slammed over his mouth, feeling the sudden rise of vomit flooding into the back of his throat, and creeping up his esophagus. This... this was a nightmare... it had to be!

"K-Ka...zuya..."

The teen whirled around... and his eyes widened in horror.

"Y-Yuzu!"

The teen felt his heart climb up his throat. Before his eyes was Yuzu...or what was left of her. Her legs were blown apart from the knee down, being nothing more than bleeding stumps. Her clothing was tattered as multiple lacerations marred her flesh. Sharp pieces of debris was stabbed into her back. A metal spike ran straight through her hand as she tried to crawl her way over to him. She tilted her head upward, as if trying to look at his face...but it was a futile effort.

Tears of blood leaked from her empty sockets. Both of her eyes were gone.

'This...can't be happening...' Kazuya wailed as he stumbled over to her, tripping over his feet once he reached her. He cradled her in his arms, careful not to move her too much. 'No-no way... it can't be happening... There's no way!'

"Ka...zu..." Yuzu muttered weakly. "W-where...?"

"I-I'm right here, Yuzu!" he told her as he dug his pocket for his COMP, only to find it missing. Dammit, where was it?! Why wasn't it there?! Did he lose it?! N-no, he couldn't have...! How could he lose it?! "Oh-oh, God, please... hold on!"

"Ka...zu...ya...Where...where are you...?" The broken girl murmured, her head turning around to find him. "It...it's so dark...so cold...Don't...don't leave me...Please..."

Even though her eyes were gone, her tear ducts were still intact. Along with the tears of blood, tears of clear liquid streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm right her, Yuzu!" he told her, tears flowing down his cheeks. His heart was thumping against his chest. "Fuck! F-fuck fuck!"

He didn't understand any of this! What happened?! Why had this happened?! W-who...?!

Who did this to Yuzu?!

His anger spiked to unprecedented levels. Whoever did this to her...

...will face the full wrath of Hell!

"A...Akuma..." A weak voice groaned out.

The boy lifted up his head, and found Kirito lying against the wall. Just like Yuzu, his body was torn apart. One of his arms was gone, as was one of his legs, and blood was leaking profusely down his right eye, masking the right side of his face with blood.

"Kirito!" Kazuya screamed in horror. Another one of his friends was hurt?!

"H-help...P...please...save...th-them..." He begged weakly.

"W-what do you mean?! What's going-?!"

His words came to a screeching halt when Kirito's face became skewed, impaled by a sharp black tentacle.

"KIRITO...!" The blue haired teen cried in anguish.

The appendage twitched slightly before it pulled itself out from the target. The upper half of Kirito's face was replaced by a gaping, bloody void. The corpse collapsed to its side with a sickening squelch.

Kazuya quickly turned to face the attacker. It was a demon, completely black with metallic skin, bearing no distinguishable features besides a pair of blades that acted like fingers, bat-like wings, and a golden crown atop its head. And beside it was...

"N-Naoya...?"

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He thought it was an illusion made by the intense heat and dancing flames. But no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, it was the same vision. There was definitely no mistaking the green, techno-patterned yukata he wore, nor the silver hair and red eyes. It definitely was his cousin, Naoya.

And yet... he wore the most vicious smile on his face. "Hello, little brother..." he greeted calmly and coolly, as if he didn't notice the signs of destruction and devastation all around them. "It's been a while." He then noticed Yuzu's wounded form, humming thoughtfully as he put a hand to his chin. "Oh? So she's still alive?"

"N-Naoya! Please!" Kazuya begged him. "She's going to bleed out at this rate! Help me!"

"And why should I do that? After all, I'm the one who killed Kazuto and your friends, as well as put Tanikawa in that state."

Kazuya's face fell. He could've sworn he felt his stomach drop and his mind shut down.

He...he just couldn't process this. His mind wouldn't let him. Naoya...Naoya was the one responsible for this?! He was the one that killed them?! He...HE KILLED ALL OF THEM?!

"...y-you..." his voice was weak, barely above a whisper. "Y-your...lying...r-right, Naoya...?"

"...Why would I lie about such a thing?" He questioned nonchalantly.

The blue haired teen's face contorted in anguish. So he...he really did do it. "...why...?"

"Hm?"

"Why...WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!" He roared at him.

Naoya's face warped into a smirk. "Do you hate me?"

"JUST ANSWER ME DAMMIT!"

"If you hate me, then why don't you use your power to kill me?" the red-eyed man told him. "You have the ability to kill Beldr with it, even without the Devil's Fuge... and yet, you deny it so feverishly. Why let that power go to waste?" His smirk grew wider. "Hate me, despise me, accept all of that anger... Isn't that how you should feel?"

Despise...hatred...anger...yes...Anger! He feels nothing but pure rage! How dare he kill his friends?! How dare he hurt Yuzu! He has the power to do so...He will kill him! The blue haired teen stood back on his feet, his eyes glowing a lethal red as a crimson aura manifested around him. He was about to rush in and strike his cousin, but a single memory resurfaced in his mind.

He recalled an event that took place not so long ago in the real world...where he was about to resume his fight with the Immortal Beldr. Someone stopped him.

"Now's not the time..."

The look on Naoya's face... it was...

Sadness.

Regret.

Loathing.

Anger.

...anguished.

Just as quickly had the darkened aura around him began to engulf him did it begin to dissipate. Naoya, seeing this, frowned. "What's the matter?" he asked of him. "Aren't you going to kill me for hurting your friends?"

"...no..."

"Hm?"

"No...! I won't do it!" Kazuya snapped out of it, slowly calming himself down.

"...Are you really forfeiting the chance of kill your friends' murderer?" 'Naoya' questioned.

"I am...because you are NOT Naoya!"

A silence fell upon the area. The sounds of Yuzu's quiet sobs, the flickering flames, the sound of crumbling buildings... all sounds had ceased.

It was as if time had stood still.

"...and why should that matter at all?" 'Naoya' asked, his frown still present. "If at all anything, that should make it all the more easier for you to kill me."

"Even if you aren't Naoya..." Kazuya said slowly, his eyes staring right back at the man's red ones. "That's still the face... of the person I have always thought of as my brother. That's why... I won't do it."

The pregnant silence continued, with the two staring back at one another. The demon remained still, also locked within the quiet void. Eventually, however, 'Naoya' showed reaction. His red eyes became dull, and his face was void of emotion.

**"...yOu aRE TruLY DiFFerEnT frOm ThE oThErS..."**

The voice that came out of 'Naoya's' mouth was different. Completely different. The type of voice he was so used to hearing from his cousin was a smooth baritone. This voice was deep and a tad raspy.

Yuzu had vanished from his arms, and the cityscape slowly faded away.

**"WHY?"** 'Naoya' spoke, his voice become a garbled mess, almost intangible. **"WHY DO YOU REFUSE TO DESPISE THIS MAN?"**

Kazuya was perturbed by this being's voice, but he stood his ground. "...Because he is someone I cherish like a brother."

"**WHY?"**

Why...? The answer was so obvious.

A broad smile made its way across his face. "It's because Naoya is like a brother to me... Even if we aren't actually brothers, he's still someone I can call by that title. Even if the whole world was against him, even if he did something unforgivable... that doesn't stop me from considering him as a brother figure." Finally, a glare became present. "I don't know why you're using Naoya's face, or why you want me to hate him... but let's get one thing straight. I don't give a damn if I'm Abel, or if he's Cain. The past is that, nothing but a relic of history. He's Naoya Minegeshi, my cousin...and a brother. And, I..."

"I'm the one who will protect him."

'Naoya' continued to stare at him with a fierce glare. But Kazuya did not falter for even a second under his gaze. After what seemed like an eternity, the unknown figure actually smiled.

"Heh...I see..."

"...il's Fuge?"

"...unds like...eird name!"

…What?

What was going on? What...were they voices?

"...'s coming too...!"

That voice... Yuzu?

The darkness around him faded. The being before his eyes slowly faded out of sight as well, but not before giving a few parting words**. "We will meet again..."**

After that, everything became white.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Aw, damn..." Atsuro mumbled. "I guess it was too much for the chargers after all. Still, at least we got the info."

Kirito nodded in agreement, staring back at his own screen as he pulled the storage unit out from it's plug. "Yeah," he nodded in agreement with a sheepish smile. "Still, talk about tough coding... Even with Yui guiding us, it was still a pain to get through those firewalls. I doubt we'd be able to hack into the server's primary functions with that kind of security."

"No kidding."

"Alright, enough geek talk, boys." Sinon said impatiently, folding her arms as she tapped her foot. "Just tell us what you found already."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a sec, Sinononon." Kirito teased, earning a fierce blush from the sniper as she scowled at him, muttering something along the lines of putting a bullet through his skull as he slipped the storage unit into his COMP. After punching in a few buttons, his screen opened up to reveal the information currently displayed.

"Okay. It wasn't much, but we managed to find a tale of Lore about Beldr. As it just so happens, the Devils Fuge was also mentioned in the legend."

"Well, so long as we know how to beat it." Yuzu sighed in relief as he looked back to Kazuya, wiping away the sweat from his face. Her face softened as she wiped away some of the blue strands of hair. "Kazuya... Wake up soon, will you...?"

At her touch, the blue haired teen seemed to give off a small response. His eyelids were twitching slightly, something that failed to be unnoticed by Yuzu.

"K-Kazuya...?" She asked softly. The unconscious teen seemed to murmur in his sleep. "G-guys! Guys! I think Kazuya's waking up!"

The group immediately whirled around. "Seriously?!" Atsuro cried in shock and joy. "He's coming too?!"

"I think so!" Yuzu nodded. The others began to circle around the waking teen.

Slowly, the boy stirred, a pair of blue eyes opening to the world. "...rgh..." he groaned, blinking rapidly before he fully came to. "W-what...?"

"Kazuya!"

"Give him some space." Agil spread his arms out and let the others back up.

The boy slowly stood to his feet, groaning as he rubbed his head.

"Wh-what...happened...?"

"Long story short?" Agil shrugged. "You went apeshit on Beldr's ass, and like we thought, bastard came out without a scratch."

"I...I see..."

He wasn't happy about that fact, but he was able to, at least, protect his friends to some level of degree.

The vision from his dream popped up again. No...NO! He refused to let that happen! He won't let it!

"So...what'd I miss?"

"We just found more information on Beldr. Or rather, more about a legend about him and the Devil's Fuge."

Kazuya's eyes widened. "Seriously?" he asked. "So, this Devil's Fuge... that's the mistletoe we're after?"

"Yep!" Asturo nodded.

A smile crossed his face. Finally, something went right today...! His smile faded, however, when he looked around and saw that Midori, who should have been present, was gone. "...wait, where's Midori?"

A darkened cloud fell over the group as Keisuke and Kirito chuckled nervously. "W-well, er..."

"...you two did something to scare her off, didn't you?" Kazuya dead panned. The two males flinched as he hit the nail on the head.

"...kind of..."

He sighed, shaking his head. "What are we going to do with you two?" he muttered before looking at Yuzu. "So, do we know where to start looking for this Devil's Fuge?"

"I don't know, to be honest." she confessed with a shake of the head. "I think our best bet would be to ask around."

"I see. So we might as well start moving." The blue haired teen stated.

"That would be the best idea. The sooner the better. After all, Beldr is due to reappear today." Agil replied.

The group nodded, and began their search.

XXXXXXXXXX

Amane sighed softly as she held her hands close to her chest. "It would appear that Kazuya Minegeshi has managed to reign in his inner demon..." she whispered in relief. "I had feared the worst."

She vividly recalled the surge of power she felt earlier. She recognized it as it was similar to the power housed within her. The power of a Bel.

However, while Amane was, to an extent, able to control the flow of Jezebel's power, Kazuya had been like a broken dam. Any more power, and his body would have been torn apart from the sheer strain. Thankfully, though, it seems that someone was able to calm him down. If she were to take a guess, it would most likely be Naoya.

The thought made her smile. "Perhaps there is some truth to him caring for his brother, after all..." she mused before she noticed the approaching presence of a member of the Shomonkai. To her surprise, it was Azama. "Sir Azama."

"Lady Amane," he greeted back, performing a bow. "I've come with orders from Lord Kuzuryu."

"Father?" That was unusual. He almost never issued orders... at least, not at such a small time at this. With the approaching summoning of Beldr, there was little doubt that they would need to try and subdue him, or at least find a way to impede his approaching summons. "What does he wish?"

"By Lord Kuzuryu's orders, you are to follow and observe the Bel of the Human world, Kazuya Minegishi."

At this, Amane frowned. "Observe him?" she inquired. "Does this have anything to do with Beldr's emergence?"

Azama nodded. "Lord Kuzuryu believes that he will play an instrumental role in the war, and perhaps may further our own goals." he explained her father's will to her. "If you can, see if you are capable of persuading him to our cause."

The maiden was silent, processing this information, before bowing her head. "...understood."

So she was assigned to watch over him and try to convince him to help the Shomonkai? She will take up this task. But first, they would need to get past Beldr. They need to find the Devil's Fuge.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Huh? Devil's Fuge?" a man with blonde hair and shades said as he looked at the group from his shop. On the table was an assortment of pots with flowers and plants growing inside. "Oooh, you mean the mistletoe! Yeah, I had one, not too long ago. It was sort of like one of those things you'd strap to your phone, kinda like a chochtkee strap doodad."

...A Cell phone strap? The one item that decided their fates and defeat the immortal Beldr...was a cellphone strap? The same thought ran through all their minds.

"D-do you think we can have it?" Kirito asked after snapping out of his stupor.

Sadly, the man shook his head. "Sorry, but I sold it to someone else. Dude looked kinda off, and kinda creepy too."

"Creepy...?" Asuna took note of this. In this place...the creepy kinds of people tend to be the shady types that hide secrets. "Well, do you know where he went?"

"I think he went to the Diet Building." the man told them before grimacing. "Although, I wouldn't recommend going there, if I were you. Damn place is wrecked all to hell. Looks like someone went ballistic with heavy artillery or something."

Based on his description, they were positive that the Hills had been a large battleground for Demons. But even so, they needed the Devil's Fuge.

"Sorry, but there is something we have to do there. Thanks for the help." Kazuya thanked.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you. But you guys be careful out there, you hear?" The blonde man then walked away.

XXXXXXXXXX

It hadn't taken them long to reach the Diet Building, and like the man said, it had seen better days.

The building itself was in shambles. That was once pristine white concrete was broken and speckled with blood and ash. The space around it did not look better. Cars were crashed into lamp posts and the building itself. The ground was upturned, cracked, and broken. It was like pieces of the asphalt was knocked loose and thrown about.

There were even pits of fire in the broken spaces in the ground.

"Damn," Atsuro shook his head. "Damn place looks like a warzone!"

"That's putting it mildly..." Sinon commented.

"Hey, what about those guys over there?" Suguha pointed out. The others turned their heads to the direction she pointed, and saw a group of people surrounded by Demons.

The leader of the horde was a Pyro Jack, its head glaring at the men before it. "Hand over the Devil's Fuge, Hee!" it demanded, its lantern blazing. "Or be burned to a crisp!"

The man in the red suit, who was presumed to be the leader of the small group, shouted indignantly. "We'll never let you have the Devil's Fuge's power! Beldr will collpase at our feet!"

"Be silent, you ho!" Pryo jack growled. "Master Beldr will enjoy breaking your bones, foolish hee of Belial!"

"The Devil's Fuge...? So they must be the guys who bought it!" Yuzu realized. "The one thing that can hurt the immortal Beldr...it's our only hope of defeating him!"

But soon, the man noticed the newcomers. "Who are you?! I'll kill any who covet the Devil's Fuge! You'll be fed to the Demons!"

"Tch...Doesn't sound like they're too big on negotiating..." Atsuro grunted. "We gotta take away their COMPs and their will to fight, or they'll never listen to us!"

"Yeah." Kazuya nodded, bringing out his COMP. "Everyone... LET'S GO!"

With that, everyone charged, COMPs in hand.  
**  
TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
